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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511669">Alice in Vvardenfell</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gavrilo93/pseuds/Gavrilo93'>Gavrilo93</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ALMSIVI, Ashlander, Coldharbour (Elder Scrolls), Dissident Priests, Dunmer (Elder Scrolls), F/F, F/M, Female Protagonist, Fictional Religion &amp; Theology, Galur Rithari, Heresy, Inquisition, Mace of Molag Bal, Morrowind (Elder Scrolls), Morrowind Main Quest, Ordinator, Ordinator(s) - Freeform, POV Original Female Character, Quarra Clan, Tribunal Temple, Uvoo Llaren, Vampires, Volrina Quarra, Vvardenfell (Elder Scrolls)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:15:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>132,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511669</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gavrilo93/pseuds/Gavrilo93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"In the waning years of the Third Era of Tamriel, a prisoner born on a certain day to uncertain parents was sent under guard, without explanation, to Morrowind, ignorant of the role he was to play in that nation's history..."</p><p>Elisamsi, the settled Ashlander from Maar Gan was not this person, but she was there when this person changed the course of history. After so many years, out of boredom, she decided to write down how she perceived the Nerevarine, their meddling with Morrowind's political and religious life, the defeat of Dagoth Ur, the end of the era hallmarked by ALMSIVI, and the beginning of the Fourth Era. In the meantime, she also has her own, personal story to tell, which happened to take place when great people determined the future of a nation: how did she serve the Tribunal Temple and become an Ordinator, and then a Dissident Priest, and finally, an apostate. How she discovered her family's legacy and embraced her own destiny. Numerous adventures and interesting people she had the chance to meet.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/628369">Some mods made for Morrowind, all listed on my website under the individual chapters</a> by Morrowind Modding Community.
        </li>

    </ul><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which we meet the settled Ashlander girl named Elisamsi, who is called ‘Alice’ by her Breton friend. Her life in Maar Gan, and her job in the Andus Tradehouse. Meeting with a swaggering soldier. A decision.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the people of Maar Gan, I’m just Alice. My real name is Elisamsi, which the people here were lazy to say all the time they addressed me, so they made up the nickname “Elis.” Mabrelle Geles, a Breton resident of the town told me that in her homeland, “Elis” would be written as “Alice.” Thus I became “Alice.”</p><p>As you may have already guessed, the name “Elisamsi” sounds Ashlander. It is indeed the case. My mother was an Ashlander who left her native Urshilaku tribe and settled in Maar Gan, and became a Redoran retainer. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to me.</p><p>No one knows my father, therefore I don’t have a surname. No one knows how was my mother impregnated and by whom. There are only rumors. As I was an orphan, I was taken in by the local priest, Tralas Rendas and I grew up in the Maar Gan shrine, among the clergy and pilgrims who temporarily stayed there. Some people say that he is my father. However, in spite of being a Dunmer, I have natural blonde hair, which our people rarely if ever have, so some people say it must have been a Nord warrior. When my story started I was 17 years old, old enough to acquire my inheritance from my late mother. A hut in Maar Gan, a set of Bonemold armor, an iron mace and a few repair hammers.</p><p>I worked in the Andus tradehouse as a cook and waiter. It suits me, as most people – let them be either travelers or pilgrims passing through town, Redoran retainers or commoners working in the egg mine – visit the tradehouse during the night. You see, I’m not a morning person. I always enjoyed the night better than the day. Everything looks better, when the sun goes down. Partly because some people are so ugly that you wouldn’t want to look at them in any other time than at dusk.</p><p>Maybe it is because I was born under the Serpent and I’m cursed. The book, The Firnament, points out that those born under the Serpent are the most blessed and the most cursed. In fact, I noticed several other things that support this theory. Animals are uneasy or frightened around me. When I was a child, the trader, Mathis Dalobar passed through the town with his guar. All the children went there to pet it. When I did, the guar got crazy and made a mess in the town by running around. It overturned the stalls of the merchants, trampled on one unlucky citizen and ran into the shrine. The guards could eventually catch it, and we agreed that I wouldn’t get close to this animal anymore.</p><p>For this reason, another rumor was started about me: That is, I am a “grey child.” How stupid. As Dunmer aren’t we all grey? What they meant by this however is that my mother was raped by a Daedra or something similarly sinister and that’s how I was born. So I didn’t really have a lot of friends as a child. Instead of friends, I have found company in books. Luckily, the shrine, as well as my mother’s library at home contained all the usual volumes a faithful Dunmer should have: Saryoni’s Sermons, The Cantatas of Vivec, The Annotated Anuad, as well as books from topics that are not related to Almsivi, such as the “Brief History of the Empire” series, “The Affairs of Wizards” and the cookbook “Redoran Cooking Secrets,” which helped me get the job at the Andus Tradehouse, and also gave me a passion, which is cooking. I always enjoyed collecting ingredients in the vicinity of Maar Gan and prepare delicious dishes from them.</p><p>There was something I discovered lately, however: Under my mother’s bed (which is my bed now) there was a secret container under the floor. That container had additional books inside which the Temple might not appreciate: Titles such as “Vampires of Vvardenfell” “Darkest Darkness” and “Blasphemous Revenants.” What secret did my mother, the faithful Redoran retainer, hold in the last years of her life?</p><p>I was working in the kitchen of the Andus Tradehouse, when my boss, Manse Andus, was calling me.</p><p>– Alice! – She yelled.</p><p>– Yes, yes I’m coming. – I replied and went upstairs.</p><p>– Alice, Miles Gloriosus is waiting for his meal. When it is ready, serve it to him immediately.</p><p>– Oh please, must I? He will talk my ears off with his swaggering.</p><p>– Yes, my dear. He is a famous crusader, here to hunt down blighted creatures around the town. We should be grateful for him.</p><p>– Is he? He is staying in the Tradehouse for weeks now, swaggering about his accomplishments. Did anyone see him actually going out?</p><p>– Well… I’m certain he will get around doing it. But even if not, he is a paying customer, so you will be nice with him.</p><p>– Yes madame.</p><p>So I went back to the kitchen, took the food out from the oven and served it to the man.</p><p>– Here’s your meal, sera. – I said, and I was about to turn around and escape his presence, when he opened his mouth:</p><p>– You don’t carry a weapon, girl. Why not? Obviously because you feel safe in the presence of the mighty Miles Glorious!</p><p>– I’m a cook. – I said, and I allowed myself a little sigh.</p><p>– I started off as almost as much of a nobody as you, so don’t feel shockingly overwhelmed at my magnificence. Yes indeed, I am perhaps the greatest warrior in the world today! I think perhaps one day you if you work hard you could reach my level of perfection. Not really, but it’s something I say to people to be polite. I truly am a wonderful fellow aren’t I?</p><p>– Indeed, sera. You are really as wonderful as Lord Corprus, himself. You are an outlander, so you probably never heard about Lord Corprus, the Dunmer hero. But I can certainly say that you are as wonderful and great as he is.</p><p>The man being an ignorant outlander of course never realized that I refer to the Corprus disease, which is a nasty infection, so he went on:</p><p>– Well, what can I say? Another small town which will be forever grateful to me for saving it. Wherever a person is in trouble, wherever injustice reigns… oh damn I forgot the next part… Anyhow Maar Gan is a nowhere town with unimportant people who don’t really actually deserve me, but I come here anyway.</p><p>– May Lord Corprus bless you for this, hero! By the way, I actually do own a weapon. It is my mother’s mace, who was a Redoran retainer. I train with the local militia every week.</p><p>– The mace is the weapon of peasants, unless they are the ornately carved ones sought by wealthy collectors of fine things who know nothing about weapons but like the way they look carrying one. Blunt weapon are not to my taste however. Staffs, maces and clubs are not a warrior’s preference, and swinging a war hammer around would be a waste of my glorious reflexes and speed.</p><p>I rolled my eyes and left him behind. My shift ended at dawn, so I went home to sleep.</p><p>The next afternoon, I picked up mother’s mace and went to the Redoran outpost to train. Arvso Tralen, the Redoran drillmaster, took it up upon herself to train the residents of Maar Gan to be a militia and be able to defend themselves and the town. I felt that I’m becoming better and better in handling a mace, but I was still far from being able to defend myself. After the session, we have exchanged a few words:</p><p>– Have you heard? Apparently, some group of rouge Ashlanders, curse all of them alike, have taken some famous noble. Bragging about it is all they can do apparently. Hah! Famous noble? In these parts! You’ve got to be kidding. They won’t even say who it is – not likely to be a name anyone would recognize. Still, someone ought to deal with them… harshly. – She said</p><p>– Harshly? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes. I should gather up the militia and clear out those Ashlanders for good!</p><p>Arvso Tralen grew up with her family in a guar farm. One day Nord bandits came and killed his father and brother, and took her and her mother into slavery. They escaped later, and went to Ald-ruhn to become Redorans and protect the weak. For this, I understood her feelings. But I shudder thinking about using violence in any way. I want to defend myself, but I cannot imagine taking a life.</p><p>I headed to the shrine to talk with my friend, and the mer who raised me after my mother died. Tralas Rendas, the local priest, and allegedly a talented seer as well. As I passed through the gates to the shrine, his colleague, Denor Serayn addressed me:</p><p>– Excuse me, Alice, but I want to inform you about a new law introduced by the Temple. There is a bounty now for blighted creatures.</p><p>– Is that so? – I said.</p><p>– We want to protect the people of Vvardenfell from the blighted creatures that roam the wilderness. We encourage everyone to kill sick animals and offer a small bounty for each of them. If you have killed blighted creatures, come talk to me for your reward.</p><p>– Thank you, sera. But the only thing I’ve ever killed was a rat which decided to live in my house.</p><p>Denor Serayn shrugged, and I entered the shrine. There, Tralas Rendas addressed me:</p><p>– Alice, I’m glad you came. Do you remember how as I child you always complained to me about being stuck in Maar Gan and wanting to see the world?</p><p>– I’m ashamed by that. But Mabrelle Geles, my friend told me so much about all the large cities she performed as an acrobat. Now I understand the teachings of Lord Saryoni: “I shall neither strut nor preen in vanity, but shall know and give thanks for my place in the greater world.”</p><p>– Indeed. But what if I told you there is a way to be faithful to the Tribunal and see the world?</p><p>– By Vivec! Do you mean…?</p><p>– Yes, Alice. You’ll be eighteen in a few days. It is time for you to do the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces!</p><p>I couldn’t hold back my excitement and embraced the priest. The people praying at the shrine looked at us, and that at the Andus Tradehouse, they were probably saying that I embraced him “like I was his daughter” but I didn’t care. I was happy.</p><p>He continued:</p><p>– Prepare yourself in the upcoming days. Read “The Pilgrim’s Path” once again, spare money for traveling costs and continue your training with the local militia. The roads are dangerous, and no one is going to provide you shelter and food for free. But now, let’s talk about your birthday gift.</p><p>– Please…</p><p>– No, no. I insist. Do you remember how you always told me “you’re a seer, tell me my future.”</p><p>– And you always denied it.</p><p>– Yes, children should not be exposed to such a thing. But you are an adult woman now. Let me see…</p><p>He went on:</p><p>– Ah yes. Interesting. You will have to make a choice between your flesh or your soul, and there is so much killing – so much death yet to come, Alice. Seek out the false ones, and let light where it has not been for centuries to be born again.</p><p>– What does it all mean?</p><p>– I cannot tell you, for even I do not know.</p><p>The vision was disturbing, but as I was growing up, more and more did I have the doubt that my friend is not a real seer and that it is just something he tells to the pilgrims and outlanders that come here to get some extra gold. And besides, I was too overjoyed to worry. I can finally travel and see Vvardenfell. Vivec city, the Ghostgate, and all of that. After my shift at the Andus Tradehouse, I went home. I couldn’t sleep in spite of being tired, as I was thinking about my upcoming adventure.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice begins the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces. A meeting with a fellow pilgrim. Running away from wild alit. The Shrine of Valor, and learning the meaning of valor.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My eighteenth birthday was nowhere as fantastic as they told me that it would be. The people at the town were nice with me, and everyone invited me to a cup of Mazte – which I could legally drink from that moment onward – that night at the Andus Tradehouse, but I didn’t feel like something groundbreaking has changed in my life. My closest friends at Maar Gan all gave me some gold that they could spare as birthday gifts, as it was well-known that I’m planning to do the pilgrimage, for which I was going to need that.</p><p>I was eager to start my journey, but I had my doubts about my ability to complete the pilgrimage, especially the Grace of Pride at the Ghostgate. In the past, I was so eager to do the pilgrimage that I never actually thought about it, but now that the journey became a reality it suddenly occurred to me: What if one of those horrible creatures attack me? I read through The Pilgrim’s Path once again, as my friend, Tralas Rendas recommended: “Any journey inside the Ghostfence is dangerous, but even the most timid pilgrim should be safe, so long as he does not stray too far from the Ghostgate and flees from any minions of Dagoth Ur.“ – It said. This did not offer any help to me, as it implied that there is a possibility of one having to flee from those minions of Dagoth Ur.</p><p>“Come on, Alice, you are an adult woman now.” – I said to myself. Surely, the Ordinators and Buoyant Armigers keep the path towards the shrine clear, so it should be fine to quickly say a prayer and get back to Ghostgate. Maybe I could team up with another pilgrim and we could protect each other?</p><p>When I was a child, a crusader stayed at the shrine of Maar Gan, and he told me terrible stories about the minions of Dagoth Ur waiting in the dark to grab me with their tentacles and eat me alive. I know now that he thought that it would be funny to scare a little girl with this account, but I was certain that I still wouldn’t have wanted to meet one of those minions in life.</p><p>“But thousands of pilgrims do that pilgrimage each year, surely you won’t be the first one to die there.” – I thought. – “Alice, do you want to live your whole life in Maar Gan, being ridiculed by the people for being a coward?”</p><p>I convinced myself to do it. But just to be on the safe side, I practiced a few more days at the Redoran outpost with the militia. I put aside all the gold I received from my job at Andus Tradehouse, I cooked a few meals for the journey, and most importantly: I took mother’s mace with me. I locked my hut, and left the town through the gates. I thought that I would first do the two pilgrimages at Gnisis, and then go to Ald-ruhn, from where I would walk to Ghostgate. I very much wanted to keep that pilgrimage site at the end, but I figured that sooner or later I would have to do it anyway, so I would get over with it. Following that, the pilgrimage sites at Vivec, and the Fields of Kummu would come.</p><p>Maar Gan slowly disappeared behind me, as I was walking westwards. I was lost in my thoughts so much that I did not notice that a Dunmer is standing next to the road.</p><p>– Excuse me, traveler. – He said. – Can you help a poor pilgrim?</p><p>– A pilgrim? How can I help you? – I asked.</p><p>– My name is Fonus Rathryon. I’ve been trying to get to Ruddy Man, but I’ve lost my way. If you would be so kind as to help, I can pay you 150 septims upon our arrival. I need to get there rather quickly, though. I’m on a pilgrimage, and there are others I must meet there. I must be at Ruddy Man, in Koal Cave, within two days. Can you help?</p><p>– You are lucky, for I am a fellow pilgrim on my way to Gnisis too, to do the Ruddy Man and the Mask of Vivec pilgrimage as well. My name is Elisamsi, for my friends, Alice. I can escort you to Koal Cave.</p><p>The pilgrim was overjoyed to hear my words, as he told me:</p><p>– Excellent! Let us be on our way then. It’s on the western shore, so we must hurry.</p><p>He followed me towards the western shore, and it seemed that he wasn’t eager to talk with me. He was how one would imagine a typical contemplative pilgrim. But as we were walking, I noticed that three alits are in the middle of the road. Fonus was about to bump into me, if I hadn’t opened my mouth to tell him:</p><p>– Look! There are three alits on the road. I figure that you are not exactly the warrior-type either?</p><p>– I’m not. What should we do now?</p><p>– We could climb this little hill to get past them.</p><p>We did that, but by bypassing the alits and climbing the hill, we attracted the attention of another hostile creature, the most annoying of them all: A cliff racer. As it descended towards the ground, we had no choice but to engage in combat with it. Luckily, many cliff racers attacked Maar Gan, and I could observe how the guards dealt with them. They had their weapons ready, waited until the creature descended so that they could reach it, and then they hit it. With my companion on my side too, we could kill it relatively easily and it didn’t have the chance to hurt us. However, the commotion provoked the attention of one of the alits nearby. Fonus, probably feeling the triumph of our previous battle, was ready to engage in this one too.</p><p>– Run, you fool! – I yelled to him.</p><p>He hesitated for a few seconds, but seeing that I would leave him behind, he probably realized that this battle is lost, so he ran after me. Perhaps I’ve never run so fast in my entire life, but obviously I didn’t want to be the meal of a venomous walking mouth. It occurred to me that probably we would never be able to shake it off, and it would catch us eventually, so I changed direction and started to run up to the nearby hill, which was steep enough for the alit not being able to follow us there.</p><p>– Come! – I yelled to Fonus, who followed me. As we were standing on top of the hill, we saw the alit trying to climb up and failing, then eventually giving up. As a sign of our good fortune, it turned out that this steep hill separated the Ashlands from the West Gash region, so we could climb down at the other side.</p><p>– That was close, Elisamsi! – Fonus was panting, as he told me that. – Let me catch my breath.</p><p>After a few minutes of rest, we continued our way towards the Koal Cave. The rest of the journey was uneventful, and we arrived to the shrine at sunset. The rays of the setting sun were reflected in the waters near the cave.</p><p>– Well, it seems that we have arrived, Elisamsi. Thank you for your help. As promised, here is your payment. May I also offer you a sample of dreugh wax so that you could complete the pilgrimage?</p><p>– Yes, thank you. That is a most welcome offer. – I replied, and I took the money and the dreugh wax with a smile on my face.</p><p>– You’re welcome. – He told me, and then took a glimpse at the water – It’s beautiful, isn’t it?</p><p>– The whole West Gash region is beautiful. I haven’t seen anything else in my life, but the Ashlands. And only the Ashlands near Maar Gan.</p><p>– Then this pilgrimage is definitely a great experience for you. – He smiled.</p><p>– I feel that I have failed. I ran away from that alit. Isn’t this pilgrimage about taking risks?</p><p>– It’s about taking risks, but not about embracing certain death. You have done well. I don’t know you, but from what I’ve heard, you have left your village to do this pilgrimage. You helped me when I was lost in the Ashlands. I could have been a bandit, or someone who wants to do harm to you. We have killed that cliff racer together. You have taken plenty of risks today. You have fled from certain death, but no one should judge you for that.</p><p>– Thank you, I shall never forget our adventure.</p><p>– I’ll never forget it either. Go ahead and do the sacrifice. Then head to Gnisis, I’m sure that they would offer you a bed in the Temple, as you are a pilgrim.</p><p>I entered the cave, and spotted the shrine. I knelt before it, and offered the dreugh wax as a sacrifice. I touched the shrine, and recited the proper prayer from Saryoni’s Sermons:</p><p>“Thank you for your valor, Lord Vivec. I shall not quail, nor turn away, but face my enemies and my fear.”</p><p>As I finished my prayer, I felt that the magic of Lord Vivec surrounds me like an armor, and that it would protect me against harm. The dreugh wax disappeared in front of the shrine. I stood up, and left the cave. I bid farewell to my companion outside, who was eager to enter the cave himself and do the pilgrimage too.</p><p>I took one last glimpse at the setting sun, then I headed towards Gnisis in order to continue my pilgrimage.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice learns about the increase in vampire attacks lately. The Shrine of Justice and an embarrassing meeting with an Ordinator. Meeting with an annoying pilgrim and the Shrine of Pride.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As I was walking towards Gnisis in the setting sun, I noticed that a small river separates me from the settlement. Not seeing any bridges in the vicinity, but understanding that the water is shallow, based on the width of the river, I decided that I would walk through the water. It was the end of the summer, so I knew that my clothes would get dry quickly.</p><p>In the river, a mer was bathing, without pants on. As I was walking through the water to reach the other side, he addressed me:</p><p>– Excuse me, girl. – He said.</p><p>I dare not to express what I was thinking about when he addressed me. What would he want from a young girl like me, without pants on? I ignored him and quickly reached the other side. I strolled around the town, because I did not want to enter the Tribunal Temple with wet clothes. I looked at the selection of the market stalls, and I exchanged a few words with the citizens.</p><p>As my pants dried, I entered the Temple and approached one of the priests.</p><p>– Yes? – He asked – Can I interest you in a stake or two, sera? There’s been an increase in the number of vampire attacks lately, and you can’t be too careful. – He explained.</p><p>– Stakes? – I inquired.</p><p>– I’ve got two kinds, one made entirely of wood and the other made of wood with a steel tip. The steel tip’s great for going through armor, but if you’re just going up against your average wandering vampires, I doubt you’ll need it.</p><p>– No, thank you, sera. I’m just a pilgrim, here to do the Grace of Justice pilgrimage. – I replied.</p><p>When I’ve read my mother’s books, the two volumes of “Vampires of Vvardenfell,” I learned that even though Morrowind’s culture is violently antipathetic towards necromancy, it is known by the Temple clergy that in the wastes of the Ashlands, in subterranean labyrinths, abandoned strongholds and places like that still large communities of vampires live. In Vvardenfell, there are at least three vampire clans, the Quarra, the Aundae and the Berne clan. Even though in Maar Gan I never noticed an increased number of vampire activity, I understood that for the reasons enumerated in “Vampires of Vvardenfell,” the existence of those stakes that the Temple sells is justified. But I didn’t want to be labeled a heathen and reveal my knowledge of vampires, so I just politely refused the offer to buy those stakes, and went on with my business. I think that at that point, even if a vampire attacked me, no stake would have been able to save me.</p><p>When I told the mer that I’m just a pilgrim, he waved towards the direction of a small room, with a bored look on his face. I entered, and bought a Potion to Cure Common Disease for 20 gold from the healer inside. He told me that the Ashmask of Vivec is situated upstairs and also that as a pilgrim I’m welcome to stay in the Temple for the night. The healer pointed out that this offer only refers to a free bed, and that they wouldn’t provide me food or anything else that I may require, unless I pay for it. That was fine, as I prepared a few meals at home, before I embarked on my journey.</p><p>As I went upstairs, I contemplated on the story of the pilgrimage site. According to The Pilgrim’s Path, when Dagoth Ur awakened, Vivec led the refugees to Gnisis, who were fleeing from the blight. They rested here for a while, but when they awoke, they found themselves encased in casts of grey ash. Vivec, unable to free himself, was filled with despair and his tears weakened his ash cast. Then he tore the ash from his followers, breathed life into their lungs and cured them of the blight.</p><p>I spotted the shrine with the ash mask on top of it, and approached it. Next to the shrine there was a guard in golden armor. I figured that he must be one of those Ordinators, the holy warriors of the Temple, and that he is in this particular Temple to guard this relic.</p><p>I knelt before the altar, and put the potion in front of it. I recited the proper prayer from Saryoni’s Sermons: “Thank you for your justice, Lord Vivec. I shall be neither cruel nor arbitrary, for fair dealing earns the love, trust, and respect of our people.” And then I touched the mask. But nothing happened.</p><p>I was puzzled, and looked at the Ordinator with a puzzled look on my face. I didn’t know what he felt observing me, as the helmet with that strange golden face covered his real face. And then I realized: The healer tricked me! It is a fake potion. I picked it up, and I was ready to go downstairs to yell at him for tricking a poor pilgrim.</p><p>But then another pilgrim appeared, and I saw him approaching the column in the middle of the room, which I ignored as being meaningless. He put a Potion to Cure Common Disease in front of the pillar, recited the prayer from Saryoni’s Sermons, and the pillar opened. Inside the pillar there was another Ash Mask of Vivec, which he touched and seemingly received some kind of blessing.</p><p>– It’s obviously a replica. – The Ordinator remarked to me, with an expressionless tone, which I understood to be due to his training, but deep inside he most likely thought that I’m stupid, and probably when he meets with his fellow Ordinators for a drink after his shift is over, they are going to laugh at me and mock me.</p><p>Deeply embarrassed, I approached the real Ash Mask, recited the prayer, and this time the potion indeed disappeared as sacrifice, and I felt that the magic of Lord Vivec rushes through my body, and that it purifies me.</p><p>As it was a long day, and a lot of exciting things have happened to me, unlike in my life before, I went to sleep on the bed that was offered to me immediately in spite of usually staying up late.</p><p>The next morning, the dreaded moment approached. Two pilgrimage sites done, the next would be Ghostgate. After a quick breakfast, and a change of my clothes to clean ones, I left the town of Gnisis, to arrive to the Redoran capital of Ald-ruhn from where I could walk to Ghostgate. On the road, I stumbled upon a middle-aged Imperial man.</p><p>– Damn! Where is that guy? He made me promise to meet me here with these goods, and now he’s late. I’m a busy man! – He was mumbling to himself, when he spotted me – You wouldn’t by any chance be heading toward Ald’ruhn, would you? Maybe you could do me a favor?</p><p>– A favor? – I inquired.</p><p>– Here’s the deal: I’ve got to get these weapons to Yak gro-Skandar in Ald’ruhn as quickly as possible. He was supposed to meet me here, but hasn’t shown up yet. I suppose I must have missed him. If you’re willing to deliver these to him at the Rat in the Pot, I’d be grateful, and I figure I could throw 100 septims your way. Of course, I’d ask you to swear an oath to Zenithar…may He grace us with lots of loot, that you’d deliver my goods, or, um, face his heavenly wrath.</p><p>– Fair trader, I’m sorry, but I don’t have the means to carry all those weapons. If I had a guar, I could give you a hand, but I’m just a pilgrim, who travels the land by foot. Also, swearing an oath to your god would be against my conscience, as I’m a faithful servant of the Tribunal Temple.</p><p>– Damn. I really could have used the help. – He said, and we said goodbye to each other.</p><p>The rest of my travel through the region was uneventful. Eventually, the lush, green valleys of the West Gash region disappeared behind me, and once again I was in the Ashlands. Luckily, the weather was clear, and I could see a big city at the distance which was Ald-ruhn, according to the map. As I approached the city, once again I was interrupted by another traveler, a Dunmer male:</p><p>– You. Stranger. Please, can you help me? While traveling with my wife, we were set upon by a pack of wild nix hounds!</p><p>– Wild nix hounds? – I asked in disbelief. I knew that this is a serious issue as a nix-hound is a vicious predator, and if there were a pack of them, there is a good chance that his wife is no longer alive.</p><p>– Yes, there must have been three at least. It was hard to tell in all of the confusion. Perhaps you’ve seen them around here. Anyway, Falanu smartly tried to play dead while I fought them off. They were too much for me, though, and they chased me off. I ran away from where my wife was lying, so as not to draw them closer to her. I fear, however, that they could have gone back for her. Can you help me? The two of us together can certainly find her, and kill the foul beasts should they show themselves again.</p><p>– I don’t know if I would be much of a help with fighting these creatures, but we definitely don’t have any time to waste. Let’s go and find your wife.</p><p>– Excellent. Let us go quickly, then. I don’t want those hounds to return before we do. I believe I came from the east, but in all the confusion, it was difficult to tell. Though I am injured, I’m sure I can make it there with you.</p><p>– There they are! – I pointed at the three Nix-hounds in the valley below us. – We just need to keep our distance from them.</p><p>We descended into the valley, making it sure to keep clear of the nix hounds, and we have found the wife of this Dunmer alive, hiding behind some rocks. The couple was overjoyed to see each other again, but we had to approach the city of Ald-ruhn to be safe of the beasts and to find a healer for the injured mer. Luckily, the city was only a short distance, and all three of us made there quickly, without any trouble from the nix hounds. When we were safe inside the city, the mer addressed his wife:</p><p>– Thank the gods! I never thought I’d see you again. – They embraced each other, and I observed that a drop of tear is running through the face of him. Following that, the mer turned towards me:</p><p>– Thank you so much for your help…</p><p>– Alice. – I continued.</p><p>– Alice, I wish I had more to offer you, but please take this book. It has meant so much to the two of us. I can only hope you find as much enjoyment in it as we have. Take care! – He gave me a book titled “A Dance in Fire, Chapter 2.” I wasn’t sure what to do with it, as first I would need Chapter 1 to enjoy it, but obviously the fact that I helped a couple reunite and escape the nix hounds was more than enough reward on its own.</p><p>I asked a guard of the town about the local enchanter, as The Pilgrim’s Path pointed out that for the Ghostgate pilgrimage, one needs to sacrifice a soul gem, a tool used by enchanters. Obviously, I was aware that the Temple probably offers soul gems at the site, as thousands of pilgrims visit the location every year, but frankly I just wanted to stall my arrival there. The guard pointed out that the local enchanter is named Llether Vari, and he has a shop under Skar – that is, under the dried out shell of the giant crab which serves as the home of the most exclusive shops, the Redoran council and the manors of the most wealthy citizens of the settlement. As I entered the shell of the giant crab, I was amazed that inside the city there is practically another city with a busy life. The guards were patrolling, the customers of the shops, and the Redoran retainers were coming and going. Based on the directions given by the guards, I have found the shop which said “Llether Vari: Enchanter” and entered. I explained it to the mer that I needed a soul gem.</p><p>– I have run out of soul gems at the moment. Why do you need one? – He asked – If you forgive me, you don’t seem like a mage, or an adventurer who would make some cash by trapping the soul of slayed creatures.</p><p>– You are right, sera. I’m just a pilgrim on my way to Ghostgate.</p><p>– Ah! Don’t worry, girl, the Temple sells soul gems on the spot for pilgrims.</p><p>– Thank you sera. – I replied, and I sighed, knowing that there is no other excuse for me to stall.</p><p>– We have all done that. You’ll be fine. – He said, with a smile on his face, as if he was reading my thoughts. Perhaps decades ago he was a similar pilgrim as me and had the same fears?</p><p>As I left the city through the gates leading to Fort Buckmoth, I have met with yet another traveler, an Imperial woman.</p><p>– You there! Yes, you. I’m in need of an escort. You’ll do in a pinch. – She addressed me, in an extremely rude manner.</p><p>– I beg your pardon? – I asked.</p><p>– I need an escort to Ghostgate Shrine, and I need to be there in two days’ time. I’ll give you a tip when you get me there safely. I haven’t got all day. Shall we go? – She said. I didn’t feel comfortable with having the company of such an annoying person, but I was inclined to say yes, as frankly, I was scared to go inside the Ghostfence alone:</p><p>– I will escort you there, if I must. – I said, my voice deprived of emotion as much as I could make it.</p><p>– Good. Let’s go. And be quick about it. – She replied.</p><p>Even in the deepest parts of the Ashlands, near the Ghostfence and the territory of Dagoth Ur, life found a way. Ugly, annoying life, but life. Indeed, as we approached Ghostgate, two or three cliff racers attacked us, which we could dispatch with a little effort. At the end, we arrived to the Ghostfence. An enormous shield-like wall surrounding Red Mountain, the volcano where Dagoth Ur and his minions dwell. The impenetrable wall was made of the souls of our ancestors and it was sustained by the combined power of the Tribunal. As I first beheld the structure, I felt that I’m just an insignificant mortal, and that the power of gods is enormous. I remembered a feeling coming from my instinct that I have forgotten, but used to have in me. When I was a child in Maar Gan, an ash storm raged. It was the first time in my life, when I have seen such a thing. I was scared and hid in the corner of the shrine. Outside the wind was making a terrible noise and everything was pitch black because of the ash it carried. Indeed, mortals are like ants in the eyes of gods, and we are at their mercy. Seeing the Ghostfence for the first time once again evoked this feeling in me.</p><p>But then I realized: This was made by OUR gods. I felt proud to be a Dunmer. Where are the gods of the Imperials, like that Zenithar that the trader earlier that day told me about? Do they exist at all? Our gods do and they create wonderful things. But as I was contemplating on these, my Imperial companion interrupted me:</p><p>– Can we get moving, Dark Elf? We’ve a long way to go. – I nodded and we continued our way towards the Ghostgate, the only entry point of the Ghostfence. On the way there, she nagged me a few more times about the importance of hurrying up. But finally we had arrived. We entered the building of the Ghostgate, and headed to the Temple, where a Dunmer lady indeed sold some soul gems. As we approached her, she told us:</p><p>– Greetings. Are you here on the Grace of Pride pilgrimage? I can sell you soul gems, if you don’t have any. A Petty Soul Gem is a sufficient sacrifice, but if you also want to support the good works of the Temple, you should consider buying a more expensive one, depending on your financial situation. If you want to contribute towards the strengthening of the Ghostfence, and feel strong enough, I can also sell you a few Soul Trap scrolls so that you can capture the souls of creatures and sacrifice those.</p><p>– Thank you. – I replied. – I regret, but I can only afford a Petty Soul Gem right now.</p><p>– That’s all right, my dear. Even the smallest contribution matters. – She said and handed over a Petty Soul Gem for ten gold.</p><p>– Can we get moving? – My companion asked, audibly being more and more annoyed by the length of the journey. She wasn’t the only one who felt that way. Soon we were standing in front of the gate itself which leads inside the Ghostfence. There was a button which opened the gate, and I hesitated. “So here you are, Alice. The moment you feared for days.” – I thought and I took a deep breath.</p><p>– So? – My companion asked.</p><p>I sighed and I pushed the button. The gate opened, and took a step forward, with my companion following me. I was trembling and wanted to go back outside, but my companion technically pushed me inside when I hesitated, and the gate closed behind us. Inside, a terrible sight awaited us. The skies were red, and an ash storm was raging. But it was a cursed ash storm, filled with the blight disease. A blight storm. I didn’t see any Ash Creatures in the vicinity, so at least that was good news. We went to the nearby hill, where the shrine was situated. As we approached, my companion addressed me, although I could barely hear her because of the blight storm:</p><p>– Well, we’ve arrived…surprisingly enough. Here’s your tip. Now leave me. – She said, and threw a sack with a few gold pieces jingling inside to the ground.</p><p>I was poor enough for that gold to make a difference but then I remembered the passage at Saryoni’s sermons about this pilgrimage, and thought that I wouldn’t bend before an outlander for that. So instead of picking up the sack, I approached the shrine, put the soul gem in front of it, and recited the prayer, loud enough for my annoying companion to hear: “Thank you for your pride, Lord Vivec. I shall not doubt myself, or my people, or my gods, and shall insist upon them, and my ancient rights.” Suddenly, the soul gem disappeared in front of me, and I received the blessing of Lord Vivec. A magical shield surrounded me, which kept the blight storm away from me. I didn’t need to cover my eyes anymore, as the ash wouldn’t have gone into it.</p><p>– Do your sacrifice, and let’s get out of here. – I told the outlander.</p><p>– You are of no more use to me. Be on your way. – She replied.</p><p>– Are you serious? – I asked in disbelief.</p><p>– I said be on your way!</p><p>– Fine! – I said, and went back to Ghostgate. I pushed the button, and went through the tunnel back to the other side. There, a warrior waited for me in chitin armor. He must have been a Bouyant Armiger, a legendary Temple warrior who are stationed at Ghostgate and other holy sites and among their other duties, protect the pilgrims:</p><p>– Where is that lady you went inside with?</p><p>– I don’t know what is she doing, she’s still inside. – I replied.</p><p>The warrior sighed and remarked:</p><p>– Great. Another ignorant outlander who thinks that it’s fashionable to do the pilgrimage, but when arrives has no clue about what should be done. I guess I’ll have to drag her outside, before the Ash Creatures get to her.</p><p>– Good luck with that. – I told him, and I took a deep breath. Finally, it’s over. The worst part of the pilgrimage is beyond me. Also, with that I have completed three out of the seven pilgrimage sites. I looked forward to the rest, as three of them were in Vivec City, the biggest city of Vvardenfell where Vivec, the god resides. The sun was shining outside the Ghostfence, and I was eager to be on my way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice haggles with a merchant in Caldera. Traveling to Vivec City and how Alice perceived it. The Shrines of Generosity and Daring, and hearing about that mysterious outlander for the first time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On my way to Vivec City, I wanted to stop at the town of Caldera, a commercial hub of Vvardenfell, in order to restock the supplies that I have consumed during my travels. Even though the city was not far away from Ghostgate, the road leading there was blocked by a mountain range which I couldn’t possibly climb, and neither did I have the means to levitate over them nor the money to buy an item which would make that possible. If I went back to Ald-ruhn, I could have used the travel service of the Mages’ Guild to go there, however I wanted to spare money, and use their service only to travel to Vivec, as traveling that much by foot would have been both tiring and dangerous, if night falls on me outside a settlement. Therefore, my only option was going back to Ald-ruhn by foot and all the way back to the West Gash region, from where I came and then take the road to Caldera, restock my supplies and use the Mages’ Guild service there to go to Vivec.</p><p>I passed next to the Ghostfence and I was grateful that I’m on this side now, and that I would never have to go back there. I wondered what happened with my annoying companion. Did the Buoyant Armiger drag her out like it was promised? I imagined her giving him a hard time, and protesting and being condescending when she is asked to leave the territory. The Buoyant Armiger then would fulfill his promise and drag her out. Later she would go back to whatever part of the Empire she is from and complain about the Dunmer being “barbaric,” to her friends. At least that was what I imagined. Of course, perhaps she was still inside, trying to figure out how the shrine works. Or maybe she was caught by the monsters? When that occurred to me, I didn’t want to think about this issue anymore. I arrived to Ald-ruhn, and quickly passed through the city. My way through the Ashlands was uneventful, besides the occasional cliff racer. Finally I could get back to the way nicer West Gash Region. But this time, instead of taking the road to the north, which led to Gnisis, I took the one to the south which led to Caldera, according to my map.</p><p>A few minutes later, I had the opportunity to behold a new sight. A Nord man, standing in the middle of the road, naked. To be entirely accurate, he had some kind of helmet on his head. How strange. I believed that since Skyrim is said to be the coldest place of Tamriel, he might have felt that our milder climate is too hot for his tastes, especially at the end of the summer. I thought that as a solution, he took off most of his clothes, because the heat was intolerable for him. I would lie if I said that I didn’t look. I looked at his chest only, from the corner of my eyes, as I passed next to him. His body was the way I imagined a Nord man. Muscular and huge. I choose not to describe what I felt seeing that, even if only for a moment. Right after that brief moment, I felt ashamed for that feeling. After all, I was a Dunmer, and a Temple faithful too. It would only be right if I felt that way about my future husband only, who would be a proper Dunmer, and – hopefully – a Redoran warrior. In addition, the poor Nord must have gone this far away from any settlement so that he wouldn’t bother anybody with his nakedness, which was probably a necessity due to the heat. I continued my journey, blushing, and I took bigger steps in order to get far away from him.</p><p>But then I saw something curious: A naked Nord again. What was going on? Was the heat that insufferable for Nords that day? If yes then why would all of them come to this particular corner of our island? As I was passing next to him, he addressed me:</p><p>– Hail and well met stranger! – with these words, he walked closer to me.</p><p>I described earlier that I had a certain feeling, seeing the previous Nord. But when this one addressed me and it seemed that this particular feeling would be realized, all I felt was fear. I felt that I hear my own heart beating rapidly. After all, I was nothing. A young, fragile girl first time leaving her home town. Next to me, a huge Nord. It would take him one moment to push me onto the ground and do whatever he wants with me.</p><p>I hurried up and pretended I don’t hear him. But he didn’t allow me. He stood in front of me, and blocked my way.</p><p>– I’m in a hurry! – I said. But as soon as I said that, he put his enormous hand on my shoulder, and continued:</p><p>– As ye can plainly see, I require some assistance if ye be kind enough to grant it.</p><p>– No! Leave me alone! – I yelled, and freed my shoulder from his grasp and grabbed my mother’s mace on my side. If it must come to that, I will at least give him a hard time. As hard as I could, with my miserable skills.</p><p>– Bah, I took you for a coward the moment I saw you! Stand aside then and make way for any real warriors who be walking this path. – He replied and allowed me to pass finally.</p><p>Upset, I walked away with quick steps towards the gates of Caldera, which I could already see in the distance. I constantly looked behind my back, thinking that he followed me. But he didn’t. He was just standing there, naked, waiting for the next person to pass by. It was clear: Once this pilgrimage is over, I need to train some more so that I would be able to defend myself. I had to run away from Alit and even an unarmed, naked Nord could have probably done whatever he wanted with me.</p><p>I approached the gates of Caldera, and an Imperial guard stopped me, as I wanted to enter:</p><p>– Halt, stranger! I haven’t seen you around before. State your business in town.</p><p>– I’m a traveler, passing through. – I stated.</p><p>– Very well, traveler. Traveling because of business? A pilgrimage perhaps?</p><p>I wanted to reply to that, but it seemed that it was a question for which she didn’t want a reply, as she immediately continued:</p><p>– You may enter the town. If you spend the night here, Shenk can put you up in his tavern and give you a meal. Don’t forget that resting on the streets is illegal. I’m certain that the citizens of the town would be willing to tell you more about the services we offer here.</p><p>– Thank you. Actually, I’m just looking for the trader to restock my supplies and then I would be on my way.</p><p>– Look for Verick Gemain then.</p><p>What did she mean that I shouldn’t forget that resting on the streets is illegal? Did I look like a beggar to her? Just because the Empire made the Dunmer poor, by stealing our ebony, I have dignity! Back at the Andus Tradehouse, the Redoran warriors talked about how the Hlaalu stole Caldera from the Redoran with the help of the Empire. Clearly they were so afraid that the ebony would be stolen that they made a guard stand at the gates and interrogate everyone who wishes to enter the city. Yet, they couldn’t patrol the roads under their jurisdiction, so every icicle-brain Nord was able to harass Dunmer girls! And that pilgrim at Ghostgate? What an arrogant person! I’ve had enough of the Empire that day, and all the new experiences. I was hungry, and I wanted to go back home.</p><p>After a few moments of considering that I should go home, I’ve decided that I would get some food at this trader, and travel to Vivec though the Mages’ Guild after all. Hopefully Vivec would be a better experience, and it would make up for all of this. Soon I’ve found the door which said “Verick Gemain: Trader.”</p><p>I entered, and a Breton man behind the counter – the one whom I assumed to be Verick Gemain – addressed me:</p><p>– Welcome, welcome to my shop! Oh, what a fortunate person I am that such a fair lady graces my humble shop with her presence!</p><p>– Thank you, but I’ve had more of attention from men today than I wished.</p><p>– Of course, or course! Such a beauty as you is surely noticed by a lot of men. Oh! If only I was younger! Well, anyway. How may I help you? I’m certain that you’re looking for delicate clothes and fine jewelry.</p><p>– I have to disappoint you, because I only want you to pack me a few meals and fill my bottle with water.</p><p>– It will be done at once, my lady! But say, may I interest you in this beautiful skirt as well? It’s only 150 gold!</p><p>– I’m just a pilgrim. I don’t have money to spend on fancy skirts.</p><p>– A pilgrim? Ah! You should have told me that earlier. I hereby present you… – He waved his hand and pointed at a robe on the counter in a theatrical manner – Veloth’s Robe! Indeed, indeed! The robe of Saint Veloth himself!</p><p>After all the bad experiences that day, the trader cheered me up with his banter. While it was clear that he only complimented me because he wanted to sell me things, it helped. I knew that traders do this all the time. Maar Gan’s traveling trader, Mathis Dalobar also always tried to sell me things by banter, and compliments and exaggeration. It reminded me of home. I decided that I would play along, and with a smile on my face I told him:</p><p>– Well, trader, it that’s the robe of Saint Veloth, you should probably flee from Morrowind while you can, as I expect certain individuals in golden armor would look for that.</p><p>– Ha! A lady who is not only beautiful, but clever! Indeed, I have to confess. It’s not the robe of Saint Veloth, but a robe I named Veloth’s Robe. It has a useful enchantment, which heals your wounds. I’m certain I wouldn’t want to see such a beautiful pilgrim as you scarred. That would break my heart! Please, buy it from me. I insist. It’s only 250 gold.</p><p>The Imperial guard standing in the room, and listening to him sighed. I assumed that he must hear conversations like this every day, multiple times.</p><p>– It really looks beautiful, and it sounds like it has a useful enchantment, but I can’t afford that. – I stated. – It’s too expensive.</p><p>– Too expensive? Forgive me, my lady, but I thought that you are more clever than this! I have expenses. I had to soul trap the soul of an animal, buy the robe, and pay for an enchanter to enchant it. What about all my time doing this, which could have been spent by standing behind the counter? The robe clearly cost me four times more than what I’m asking here! I have a family to feed! But all right, 100 gold. I can’t give it any cheaper than this.</p><p>– No, sorry. Can I just get the food and the water?</p><p>– Of course, of course! It’s already packed. But the robe! All right: 50 gold. Can’t you see how beautiful it is? Not as beautiful as you are, but I think that you would look excellent in it. I really do.</p><p>– I just don’t have the means to buy it.</p><p>– All right! All right! Final offer: 20 gold. My children will starve because of this, but I just cannot resist such a charming lady.</p><p>– Fine. – I sighed. I calculated that I would be able to afford that much, as my companion from the Koal Cave gave me some gold in order to express his gratitude for traveling there with him. I continued: – There are a lot of hostile creatures on the roads, and I would need something like this. Make it 19, and I’ll buy it.</p><p>– Very well. Probably the Census and Excise Office is going to arrest me now, because I won’t be able to pay my taxes, but anything to please such a young lady as yourself.</p><p>Following that, he gave me the rations of food and the water, and I paid. I put these things away, and put the robe on. The trader complimented on my looks in it once again. I had to admit that it indeed looked nice. I left the shop and headed towards the Mages’ Guild to travel to Vivec. After I paid my fare, the mage responsible for teleporting people to other settlements asked me to step onto the small platform. She cast a spell on me, and I had a surreal experience. As if for a moment I ceased to exist. Everything was black, even though my eyes were open. But I didn’t have the time to panic, as the next moment, everything changed around me. I was in a different place, the Guild of Mages’ in Vivec. The mage urged me to leave the platform as there were others who wished to travel too, and I was blocking them by standing there. I looked at my map and it seemed that I was in the Foreign Quarter of Vivec, and in order to do the three pilgrimages of the city, I must head southwards and reach the Temple Canton.</p><p>I beheld the magnificence of the city. The people were coming and going, the gondoliers were ferrying people across the canal. Some were working, others came to visit, like myself. If I looked up, I could see the statues of the saints of the Tribunal Temple. I’ve got lost at least five times, because I was distracted by something interesting, and I had to ask somebody to point me towards the right direction to the Temple.</p><p>But finally, it stood before me. In the Temple Canton, two enormous statues of Vivec propagated his greatness. People were leaving flowers and other small items at the foot of the statues to honor him. One of them depicted Vivec only, in the other one he was fighting with a creature. And up there was something even more sublime than the Ghostfence. Baar Dau. Another proof of the Tribunal’s power. Looking at the rock, I constantly had the feeling that it would fall. For this reason, I was reluctant to get closer first. But then I remembered that this rock is floating in the air ever since Vivec stopped it from falling from the sky. Slowly, I went closer.</p><p>One of the priestesses at the Temple Canton sold me a Bargain Rising Force Potion which is the sacrifice for this pilgrimage. She also informed me that since they understand that most pilgrims don’t have enough money to afford a Silver Longsword, they have a chest full of them so that the pilgrims could complete another pilgrimage in the city for which the sacrifice is that.</p><p>With the potion in my hand, I approached the shrine, which was situated right under Baar Dau. I thought that if the rock fell, it would fall on me exactly and crush me to death. But perhaps this is why this pilgrimage was called “Grace of Daring” as it was about being brave enough to approach this monument of the Tribunal’s power. I knelt before the shrine, put the potion in front of me, and recited the prayer:</p><p>“Thank you for your daring, Lord Vivec. I shall not shun risk, nor hide behind the mask of cautious counsel, for fortune favors the bold.”</p><p>As I finished saying these words, I felt that the magic of Lord Vivec once again surrounds my body. I didn’t feel the ground under my feet, and I felt that I’m floating. I wanted to put my feet down, but all I could achieve was getting even higher. I was levitating a good half meters above the ground. I experimented with this new blessing and after a few minutes, it turned out that I can control it by simply imagining that there is solid ground below me, and walking normally. If I wanted to get higher or lower, I needed to imagine that there are stairs which I must climb. “Are you daring enough, Alice?” – I asked myself. – “You were brave enough for the Ghostgate one, at least this is fun!” – I argued and reluctantly climbed some of those invisible steps. I understood that if I looked down, I would panic. So I just “climbed” higher and higher. Before I realized, I was floating even above Baar Dau. I looked around. To the west, I saw a town, which must have been Ebonheart according to the map. To the north, the rest of Vvardenfell was before me. My homeland was enormous and I have barely seen any of it in my life so far. Ancient ruins and settlements were before my eyes, and I could see that some of them were surrounded by ash, others were by lush forests and swamps. And somewhere on the horizon, there was Red Mountain.</p><p>I was afraid that the blessing would wear off, and I would fall to my death, so I slowly started to descend. Even though the shield blessing from Ghostgate was still around me, and it was safe to assume that the levitation blessing would last a little longer than a few minutes, I did not want to risk it. I descended and soon reached the top of the stairs of Vivec’s palace, which was the canton next to the Temple canton. The next pilgrimage site was right there, and it was the “Grace of Generosity” pilgrimage. All I needed to do was sacrificing 100 gold to receive a blessing. I’ve set 100 gold aside in Maar Gan, which I decided not to touch under any circumstances so that I would be able to complete this pilgrimage. I struggled with kneeling when the levitation blessing was on me, but somehow I managed to do it, even if I did not kneel on the ground, but in the air. I threw the 100 gold in a sack in front of the shrine, and recited the prayer: “Thank you for your generosity, Lord Vivec. I shall neither hoard nor steal, nor encumber myself with profitless treasures, but shall share freely among house and hearth.” As soon as I said the words, I felt that once again, Lord Vivec blesses me. I felt that suddenly I have more skill in buying and selling things, and I just realized that I could have probably bought the robe earlier that day for even less than 19 gold.</p><p>I stopped on top of the stairs for a few moments to contemplate on the fact that this is the palace of Lord Vivec. There was a door leading inside the palace, and I imagined that the god himself was behind that, somewhere. Maybe he was right behind, and all that separated us was the door. The last pilgrimage site was inside the palace. Would I see him in person? I couldn’t possibly imagine what to do then.</p><p>As I was contemplating on these, another pilgrim, an old Dunmer, approached the shrine, and he told me:</p><p>– What an outrage, sera! What an outrage!</p><p>– What? What is an outrage? – I asked, puzzled. I thought that I did something wrong during the pilgrimage that he saw.</p><p>– That outlander! That fetcher, that n’wah! I’m just coming from the Library of Vivec, and I overheard an insolent outlander asking the librarian questions!</p><p>– That’s tragic. – I replied in a sarcastic manner, and I couldn’t hide how annoyed I was by this person’s rambling.</p><p>– You don’t understand, girl. I said I overheard them. It was all very secretive. They thought that just because they are talking quietly and in a hidden corner of the library, no one would notice. But I happened to be there, reading a book on the other side of the bookshelf, hidden from their view, and I heard everything. They’ve talked about horrible things that I don’t even dare to say! Heresy! I think that the librarian is also part of this. Yes! They are working together with the outlander to undermine the Temple.</p><p>– Maybe you should report this conspiracy then? – I suggested, but once again with a little sarcasm in my voice, and I dismissed the nonsense of this old mer.</p><p>I turned away from him and allowed him to do his pilgrimage. I was ready to continue with my own, and to find a way to enter the Palace of Vivec and find the next shrine.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice enters the Puzzle Canal, and gets confused by it. Her reluctance to “breathe the water.” The Shrine of Courtesy, and meeting with a Dremora. Passing next to a plantation, and witnessing the horrors of slavery. The Shrine of Humility, and visiting the village of Pelagiad. A rumor about a grave-robber.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>According to The Pilgrim’s Path, the next pilgrimage site was situated in the so-called “Puzzle Canal” which is underneath Vivec’s Palace. The pilgrimage’s story tells about Lord Vivec giving his own Silver Longsword to Mehrunes Dagon, when he was unarmed in a battle against him. I wasn’t sure whether in a real situation I would have been capable of following Lord Vivec’s actions. “If I could ever disarm an opponent…” – I thought. – “I would rather use the opportunity this situation presents to flee.”</p><p>The book recommended common pilgrims to carry a scroll of Almsivi Intervention, in case they get lost in the Puzzle Canal, however such an item was way too expensive to me back then, so I elected to enter the place without it, and just remember the way I came so that I could get out, in case of an emergency. Water was pouring out from the grates of the canal, so I had to pull up my robe before I stepped into the swallow water on the left side of the stairs leading into the palace. I entered the canal through the grate, and the water was about knee-deep inside.</p><p>The place was unremarkable. There was a ladder, which I used to get out from the water. The walls were plain, and there was nothing inside besides a rat, which I managed to kill when it attacked me. There were four grates in the four corners of the room. I have chosen to pass through the one on the opposite side of the room from where I came. I was once again outside, however on the opposite side of the stairs of the palace, and two levels below. I went back, and turned around immediately to leave. I was at the same spot. I concluded that the grates on the northern side of the canal are regular grates, while the southern ones teleport the pilgrim to another level, therefore it would be a complete waste of time to use any of them, as I can access all the levels from the outside, especially with my levitation blessing, which still lasted.</p><p>I went back to the canal, and thought that I must look for something else to solve the puzzle. On that level, I spotted a fifth grate too, in the middle of the room. I entered through that. I was in about two meters-deep water, which was somehow magically kept inside, and did not pour out from the grate when I entered. I instinctively held my breath, and saw that there are stairs leading upstairs. I got out from the water, and climbed the stairs. On top of the stairs I saw a shrine.</p><p>I approached it, but the Dremora that I was supposed to give a Silver Longsword to was nowhere to be found. I noticed that there was an inscription on the shrine. “Breathe the waters of his glory, and the way is made clear.” I didn’t understand what it means. I touched the shrine, but nothing happened. I looked around in the room, but there were no clues about what to do. After a while I spotted that one of the walls was actually a Ghostfence-like structure, which separates the room from another one. After a few minutes, I suddenly realized: I must breathe the water of the room in for the little Ghostfence to disappear. I went back into the water and submerged. I opened my mouth, and breathed the water in for a second. I immediately swam up, and left the water. My lungs were burning from pain, and I was coughing like I was in an ash storm. After a few minutes, I approached the shrine again, and touched it. But nothing happened.</p><p>I sat down on the stairs, and I was thinking about solving this puzzle. “How else can I breathe the waters in? Do I need to offer a Water Breathing Potion? But then why no has mentioned it?” Suddenly it dawned on me: I needed to drown. It was a test of my faith in the Tribunal. Did I trust in their power enough to face death?</p><p>I have already survived Red Mountain at that point. Nothing could be worse than that. On the other hand, when I was thinking about my death, drowning was the worst scenario that I could imagine for myself. Also, what if I misunderstood the riddle and I would die for nothing here? No, surely there were other pilgrims before me who had the same solution for this as me, and if people were drowning in the waters of this room in vain, the Temple would have left a notice here so that we wouldn’t attempt to do it. What else could “breathing the waters” mean? Also, I didn’t want to go home, ashamed that I couldn’t complete the pilgrimage.</p><p>I entered the water and left it at least three times, while I was thinking, before I finally made up my mind that I would do it. I took a deep breath, and submerged. About 60 or 70 seconds passed before I ran out of air. I started to lose my consciousness and I instinctively opened my mouth. I felt that my lungs are filled with water, and I panicked, and I wanted to get out from the water, but I didn’t have the willpower to do it anymore. I couldn’t move a single muscle of my body. In spite of being underwater, it felt like my lungs are burning. I sank lower and lower and I desperately tried to breathe, which caused my lungs to be filled with even more water. “Lord Vivec, save me” – I thought. And then everything went black. I stopped feeling anything.</p><p>A moment, which felt like eternity, later I heard a rumbling sound. Everything turned white. It was peaceful. I felt that everything will be fine. Following that, I regained consciousness, and I felt that I still have air in my lungs. I immediately swam up. Being out of the water, I took deep breaths, and it seemed that everything was fine with my body. I didn’t need to cough. Near the shrine, a bridge appeared, and the little ghostfence disappeared. I understood the lesson: that I can always rely on the Tribunal, even in my darkest hour and that I can face even the greatest danger with faith in my heart.</p><p>I entered the next room, where there was the Dremora, Krazzt, mentioned by the book. I remembered the priestess’ words that the Temple offers free Silver Longswords for poor pilgrims in order to complete the pilgrimage. I didn’t feel guilty for taking one, after all I just died and got revived for this faith. But naturally, I only took one sword from the chest so that others would be able to do this pilgrimage too.</p><p>– Are you here on the pilgrimage? Do you have a silver longsword for me? – The Dremora asked. It had the same hellish voice as all the Dremora do, but I was not afraid of it, because the Maar Gan shrine had a similar Dremora too, so I got used to hearing and seeing them.</p><p>– Yes, I do. Please, take it.</p><p>– You are brave and gallant. – He sighed, as probably he had to talk with several pilgrims in this manner each day – Thank you, Alice. You have the grace of courtesy. You should read the inscription on the shrine to complete your pilgrimage. – It said, and threw the Silver Longsword back into the chest.</p><p>I was surprised that it knew my name, but then I realized that it is a supernatural being. I was also surprised first that it threw the sword back into the chest, but I figured that these are expensive so the Temple uses one sword multiple times.</p><p>I approached the shrine and recited the proper prayer from Saryoni’s Sermons: “Thank you for your courtesy, Lord Vivec. I shall speak neither hurtful nor harsh word, but shall speak respectfully, even of my enemies, for temperate words may turn aside anger.” As I touched the shrine, Lord Vivec blessed me once again. I felt that I would be able to swim faster and breathe underwater, like slaughterfish do. With that, 6 of the 7 pilgrimages were completed, and only the Fields of Kummu site remained, in the middle of the Ascadian Isles Region, to the north of Vivec City. I left the Puzzle Canal the way I came from.</p><p>I was relieved that it was over. I would have never thought that one of the pilgrimages would be worse than the Ghostgate one. Vivec City was way behind me, when the levitation blessing finally wore off, and I was forced to walk. The Ascadian Isles region was even more beautiful than the West Gash. It was green, warm and the air was full of the scent of the pretty flowers that grew in the area. I picked up a few and put them away in order to decorate my house in Maar Gan with them. On my way to the shrine, I daydreamed about a future living in a cottage next to one of the lakes. I imagined that I could bathe in the lake everyday, and there wouldn’t be ash or nasty creatures to be afraid of.</p><p>Then I saw and heard something horrible, as I passed next to a farm, or more like plantation. An Imperial man was yelling with a Khajit slave:</p><p>– How dare you, you good for nothing? While the rest of the slaves are busy with the harvest, you are taking a nap? Make yourself useful, and get out from my sight before I take the whip out, you lazy bastard!</p><p>– Please, master! Arabhi was working all day! Have mercy on poor Arabhi!</p><p>In that moment, the guard indeed took the whip out as promised, and started beating the Khajit with it. As the majority of the Dunmer, I also believed that slavery is a tradition, and I supported it as a way to resist the ever-growing influence of the Empire. However, the way that guard treated that Khajit was way too much, and I felt sorry for her. I hoped that slavery could exist as an ancient tradition of the Dunmer, without this cruelty involved.</p><p>I didn’t notice that I stopped for a moment to look at the scene, instead of moving on. The Imperial noticed this, and yelled at me too:</p><p>– What are you looking at, you bitch? Get the hell out of here, don’t you know who owns this plantation?</p><p>I didn’t know who owned that plantation, but I was certain that I didn’t want to find it out, so I quickly left it behind me. I felt that no matter where I go, Morrowind is a cruel place. In the north, there is no slavery, but there are ash storms and blighted creatures. In the south, there are green valleys, a mild climate and pretty flowers, but people own slaves and treat them awfully.</p><p>After a while, I arrived to the Fields of Kummu. In this place, Lord Vivec encountered a farmer, whose guar died. He humiliated himself by removing his clothes and taking the guar’s place as a beast of burden so that the farmer could do the harvest and not starve. I was thinking that maybe this story is where my nation’s inability to give up on slavery stems from, although Lord Vivec became one in a voluntarily manner, which is somehow different than what that guard did with that poor Khajit.</p><p>It was required to sacrifice a portion of muck to complete the pilgrimage. There were some muck sponges near the shore, so the task was straightforward enough. The only problem was that muck is disgusting. It was dirty, and it had a terrible stench. If I wanted to complete this pilgrimage, I had to humiliate myself as Lord Vivec did. I pulled up the sleeve of my robe and scraped some muck off from the inner walls of the muck sponge. The stench almost made me vomit, and I felt that the muck makes my hands dirty, and it was even getting under my nails.</p><p>After I gathered a portion of it, I put it in front of the shrine, and recited the prayer: “Thank you for your humility, Lord Vivec. I shall neither strut nor preen in vanity, but shall know and give thanks for my place in the greater world.” The muck disappeared, and I felt that Lord Vivec blessed me. Suddenly my capacity to lift and carry things increased, as it felt that neither my backpack nor my clothes weighed anything.</p><p>And that was it. All of the pilgrimages were completed. The sun was about to go down, so after I quickly washed my hands in the lake, I decided that I would only return to Maar Gan the next day, and rent a room in the nearby village, Pelagiad, for that night.</p><p>In spite of being an Imperial settlement, Pelagiad was peaceful and enchanting. I headed to the “Halfway Tavern” to rent a room. As I entered, and approached the counter, the publican addressed me:</p><p>– Food and beds. Or both, at the same time. Heh-heh. Your choice.</p><p>– Good evening, muthsera. Let it be both, but not at the same time. I would like a dinner and a room to sleep in tonight. – I said, and I handed over some gold.</p><p>– Very well. – She replied, and showed me my room. I left my backpack there and went back to the main room where my dinner was prepared. I sat next to an Ashlander mer who recently left his tribe to try his luck in the settlements. He had a hard time speaking the language, but we’ve still managed to talk for an hour. The tavern even had a bard who played songs while we enjoyed our dinner. After eating, I went to bed and had a long sleep after all my adventures that day.</p><p>The next morning, some kind of commotion downstairs disturbed my sleep. I quickly put on some clothes and investigated. I overheard a group of Dunmer arguing with the regulars of the tavern, who were mostly outlanders.</p><p>– We want the one responsible at once, you scum! You either give them to us now, or we’ll come back and burn down your pathetic village! – Said one of the Dunmer</p><p>– We’ve told you that we don’t know who is responsible! – the publican responded</p><p>– Liar! There is no one else who would loot a Dunmer ancestral tomb! Not even the Telvanni. Only outlanders could sink so low. I despise you all.</p><p>– Why are you so sure, you racist old mer? Maybe it was a fellow Dunmer, who only waited for the right opportunity. – One Nord woman replied, in a snarky manner.</p><p>– What do you mean, you n’wah? – The Dunmer demanded.</p><p>– Well, your precious Tribunal required you all to give up your clan ghost fences so that your ancestors could power the big one. You followed their orders like sheep, so it’s all your fault that somebody could loot your tomb.</p><p>– That was quite enough! – The Dunmer and his company drew their daggers, and as a response all the outlanders did the same.</p><p>In that moment, two Imperial guards entered the tavern, which most likely saved the establishment from bloodshed. The Dunmer left, and the publican told me that all of this commotion was caused by the fact that the nearby Andrano Ancestral Tomb was looted. Somebody took the skull of Llevule Andrano, one of the family’s ancestors. As I learned, it happened a few days ago, and the Dunmer of the nearby settlements and communities were all outraged and demanded justice. I also learned that a group of Ordinators are on the spot now, investigating. I was saddened that somebody would do this, and I was sure that I wouldn’t have survived the bloodshed in the tavern, if it occurred, and if I was caught in the middle. Another reason to seriously start training once I’m back to Maar Gan.</p><p>I quickly packed my things and left the settlement, fearing that the hostilities between the Dunmer and the outlanders would continue later. I returned to Vivec City and used the Mages’ Guild service to teleport to Ald-ruhn, then I took the silt strider to Maar Gan. I was home before noon, with the pilgrimage behind me.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice returns to Maar Gan after completing the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces. People are uneasy about the rumors concerning the grave-robber. Alice’s decision to follow her mother’s footsteps and join House Redoran. How she failed to pass the test of admittance. An alternative to that – joining the Temple.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In Maar Gan, the first thing I did was heading to the shrine to see my friend, Tralas Rendas. The silt strider port of the town was busy, with a couple of workers loading cargo onto the creature. Most of that cargo were kwama eggs, as the town sustained itself mostly by egg mining, and to a lesser extent by the money that pilgrims and travelers spent in the tradehouse. I passed through the gate next to my house, and I noticed that the streets were empty, with the majority of the people working in the egg mine at that time of the day. I entered the shrine, where my friend greeted me:</p><p>– Welcome back! How was your pilgrimage? – He asked.</p><p>I embraced him and after a long moment, I started to speak:</p><p>– I felt insignificant and humiliated. I got chased by wild alit. There were cliff racers everywhere. And I died by drowning.</p><p>– Sounds like a typical pilgrimage then. – He chuckled.</p><p>– I levitated. I’ve met several interesting people on the roads. I felt pride and that the Tribunal are sublime. I faced some of my fears. And I saw my homeland.</p><p>– Anything else? – He inquired.</p><p>– I feel as if all of my life in Maar Gan has been a dream. As if I suddenly came alive.</p><p>– I’m so happy for you, Alice. I know that it was hard. But you’ve managed to do it and learned a lot. You have taken risks and had the determination to finish what you’ve started. For some people, this pilgrimage may be an easy task, but for us, ordinary people it is hard work. You have the right to be proud of yourself.</p><p>– Thank you. And thank you for this opportunity to learn and gain experience. Now, I shall go to my hut and sleep.</p><p>I said goodbye to my friend, and did as I said. I went back to my hut and entered it. The weather being clear, and no signs of an ash storm, I left my door open for a few minutes to allow the stale air out which accumulated in the days I was away. I put my backpack onto a table and took my things out. I had a vase, into which I could put the pretty flowers that I had collected in the Ascadian Isles Region. I knew that in a few days they would have died, but at least until that they looked pretty and smelled great. I picked up a bucket and left my house with it. I headed towards the well of the town to fill it, in order to wash my dishes and the bottle that I used during the pilgrimage and also to have some water for my new flowers. I felt that I have more motivation for doing these household chores than before the pilgrimage, however when it occurred to me that I would need to wash my clothes that got dirty during my travels too, and to take mother’s mace to the smith to have it repaired from the usage in the last few days, I lost all of that motivation. I decided that I would do all of that the next day, and go to bed, as I had to work that evening at the Andus Tradehouse, as usual.</p><p>I could get a few hours’ of sleep before my shift. I remember my dream. I was in Maar Gan. The sun was shining, in an unnatural manner. It was never so bright in real life, as the smoke of Red Mountain and the constant ash storms always covered the skies to some extent. As the warmth of the sun caressed my body, I felt that it became refreshed. I just stood in the middle of the town and enjoyed it. Then I woke up, and realized that it was just a dream. I got out from bed, and got ready for my shift.</p><p>It was a pleasant night at the tradehouse. Along with the regulars there were always travelers and pilgrims who just visited our town and stayed there. As I was serving food and drinks, some of them took their time to congratulate me on my successful pilgrimage, others discussed recent events, mostly concerning the egg mine. It seemed that the “famous crusader,” Miles Gloriosus, still stayed in the establishment. He was sitting with my friend, Arvso Tralen at a table. It seemed that they befriended each other while I was away. Or perhaps my friend, who was a real warrior just mocked him by pretending to acknowledge his seemingly false achievements, which he constantly bragged about. I served them a meal and a bottle of mazte. When they spotted me, Arvso, who was in the middle of a sentence, suddenly stopped and remarked:</p><p>– I guess I owe Tralas a drink, Alice. – She turned towards me.</p><p>– Why? – I asked.</p><p>– Because you could complete the pilgrimage. I didn’t think that you are ready for it, but he insisted that you can do it. Are you coming to train tomorrow?</p><p>– I got into several dangerous situations during my travels. I need to train more. – I replied, letting the issue go that they had a bet about whether I could do the pilgrimage or not.</p><p>– See you at the outpost tomorrow then. – She announced.</p><p>The night would have went on in an uneventful manner, if it wasn’t for a Redoran patrol arriving to Maar Gan, who entered the tradehouse. The patrol consisted of two Redoran guards, who for some reason always looked the same for me in their uniforms, and their leader, who seemed to be a noblewoman, as she was well-groomed and well-spoken. She was wearing chitin armor. She asked my boss, Manse Andus, for the right to make an official announcement in the name of Bolvyn Venim, the Archmaster of House Redoran. I was asked to tell the people to remain silent, as the Redoran noblewoman was ready to make her speech:</p><p>“People of Maar Gan! Fellow Dunmer! For more than 400 years, the Empire has exploited our homeland. They have taken our lands, and our ebony. But for the greedy bureaucrats of Cyrodiil City, this is not enough! Nothing is enough for them. They threaten our way of life now!”</p><p>The people in the tradehouse were captivated by the noblewoman’s speech. She continued:</p><p>“They bring their poison here, to our sacred land now. They protect heretics, like believers of the so-called ‘Nerevarine prophecies.’ It is also widely known, that the Legion tolerates or maybe even encourages necromancers and bandits to take up residence in abandoned towers and caves all around Vvardenfell. Outlander scum! But this time, this scum went too far. I brought horrible news! The Andrano Ancestral Tomb has been looted and the skull of Llevule Andrano was taken.”</p><p>– The second-era Temple master. – my friend, Tralas Rendas commented. The people were whispering to each other, and there was some commotion, but everyone was interested in what this noblewoman had to say.</p><p>“Right. And my ancestor. I am Boldrisa Andrano, from House Redoran. I told the great Bolvyn Venim that my family tomb has been desecrated, and he promised that he would send out Redoran patrols to protect the ancestral tombs under Redoran rule so that it could never happen again. However, House Redoran needs new recruits so that it could protect the settlements and the mines and the roads as well, not only the Dunmer ancestral tombs. Everyone who is capable is asked to go to Ald-ruhn for evaluation. Suitable candidates will have the opportunity to join the Redoran army.”</p><p>– But what about Imperial tombs? – Mabrelle Geles asked.</p><p>– Didn’t you hear the lady? It was most likely an outlander who looted that ancestral tomb! You don’t deserve protection. In fact, we should use this new Redoran army to round-up all the outlanders. And desecrate your tombs, like you do with Dunmer ones! – One Dunmer suggested, pointing one finger at the Breton woman and emphasizing the word “you.”</p><p>– Now listen here you fool, I’m… – Mabrelle Geles replied.</p><p>– My mother lies in an Imperial tomb too. – I interrupted before they could continue. I feared that with everyone drinking that night, there would have been trouble if this conversation went on. – Ashlanders don’t have family tombs, so those who move to the settlements are put into Imperial tombs too, like outlanders. Muthsera – I turned to the noblewoman – I want to sign up. I wanted to learn how to be better with weapons for a time now, and my mother was a Redoran retainer too, so I would gladly follow her steps.</p><p>A few young people in the town were also eager to sign up, so the noblewoman told us that we would have to travel to Ald-ruhn, and report to Neminda, the Redoran recruiter. Our travel expenses would be covered by House Redoran. The patrol left the settlement, because they had to bring the same news to all the Redoran settlements. During the rest of the evening, the people discussed the news about the Andrano Ancestral Tomb, while others were eager to join the Redoran army, and talked about their dreams of serving their House. Miles Gloriosus, of course, took the opportunity to assure the people that he would use his superior skills to bring that necromancer who desecrated the tomb to justice. Manse Andus told me that she needs me in the tradehouse, however we agreed that I have to stick around for two more weeks, until she can find a replacement, and then I would be free to leave to join the Redoran Army.</p><p>The next two weeks were uneventful. As usually, I woke up in the middle of the afternoon every day, and I went over to the outpost to train with the militia. In the night, I worked in the tradehouse and went to bed at dawn. On the day I was to leave for Ald-ruhn, I didn’t put on my usual clothes. I opened a chest downstairs which contained my mother’s bonemold armor. It was dusty and old, but I cleaned and polished it, as much as I could. I never wore an armor in my life before that, and it was terribly uncomfortable. I tried moving around in it, but my movement was sluggish, and I felt as if I’m carrying a huge burden on my body. When I saw Redoran guards in this armor, they moved around swiftly, without effort. I hoped that I wouldn’t fall in the armor, because I was certain that I wouldn’t have been able to stand up without help. I attached my mother’s mace on my side, and put a few supplies into my backpack, such as my new robe. I left my house, and went to the silt strider port which took me to Ald-ruhn in a couple of hours.</p><p>I asked the citizens of the city about the location of Neminda, the Redoran recruiter, and they told me that she can be found in the Redoran Council, under Skar. After a couple of minutes, I was able to find it. I entered the room. It was a huge hall, which displayed the wealth of House Redoran and their pride. The walls were covered with beautiful tapestries, and in the middle there were even some plants that somehow managed to survive without natural lights inside the shell of the giant crab. The hall was always full of people. Among the clerks who worked at the tables in the middle, and the guards patrolling the room, several Redoran retainers passed through regularly, minding their own business. A guard told me that Neminda is the Redguard woman at the tables. I approached her.</p><p>– I am Neminda, Drillmaster and Recruiter. If you wish to join House Redoran, you have come to the right place. – She smiled at me.</p><p>– I am Elisamsi. Yes, I came to join House Redoran. – I replied, and gave a smile to her too, under my helmet.</p><p>– Very well. The application process has three parts. Firstly, take a seat at one of the tables and fill out an application form, which I’ll give to you. Then return to me, and we’ll discuss the next step.</p><p>I did as asked. It seemed that the application form had questions concerning personal information, such as my name, for which I have almost written “Alice” but then I remembered that my name officially is “Elisamsi,” my place and date of birth, my mother’s name, my occupation for which I have written “cook and waitress.” Then, questions concerning my qualifications came, such as my education, for which I could write that I have learned in all my childhood from a Temple priest, but nothing formal. I have also mentioned that I have a basic knowledge of handling a mace, which I hoped might be an advantage in House Redoran. Finally, a section that asked me to mention anything that I feel important came. I mentioned that my mother was also a Redoran retainer, and that I have a deep faith in the Tribunal, and I completed the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces and that I already have a weapon and an armor, so the Redoran wouldn’t need to provide them for me.</p><p>When I finished filling out the form, I handed it back to Neminda.</p><p>– Great! The second part of the application process is a little discussion with a Redoran retainer. You’re lucky, because Serjo Venim himself will be here in a couple of minutes to talk with today’s applicants. – Neminda announced.</p><p>– Serjo Venim? – I asked, with a shock. I felt that my heartbeat was faster, and I didn’t know how to behave in the presence of the Archmaster of the Redoran, as I was only a girl from a small town, and according to the rumors, the Archmaster was not only an important noble, but both a great warrior and a cruel person. One to be respected and feared.</p><p>– Oh. – Neminda chuckled – Don’t worry. I’m not talking about Bolvyn Venim. It’s Tiras Venim, his son. There he is! – He pointed at the young Dunmer approaching. He was a handsome, well-groomed mer, who was a few years older than me. His skin was clean and he sported a very fashionable beard. He wore a simple bonemold armor, but on his side there was an ebony longsword, which was both expensive and deadly.</p><p>– Greetings, Neminda. Let’s do this quickly. I have important things to do today. – The mer sat down at the table, with my application form, given to him by Neminda, in his hands. He poured a cup of mazte and slowly sipped it, as he read through my paper. – Interesting. – He concluded. – Could you take off your helmet? I want to take a look at your face. Also, it’s rude to wear a helmet inside a building. I gave you the courtesy to show my face, so would you? Please?</p><p>– I’m terribly sorry, serjo. – I said, and removed my helmet. I didn’t know about that rule, in the Andus Tradehouse, I had always seen people with their helmets on. I remembered my observation earlier that most Redoran guards look the same with the uniforms, so I concluded that it must be a Redoran rule, as they all have the same uniforms, so it might be easy for a spy to put one on and mingle with the Redoran. A way to recognize a friend from a foe was necessary.</p><p>– All right. I have a couple of questions for you. Is this your real hair color? – He asked, with a completely serious tone.</p><p>– I’m sorry, but how is that relevant? – I asked.</p><p>– It’s the most relevant question, and based on your answer, I might have to deny your application. As you know, the people of Skyrim, the Nords have the same hair color as you. So if it’s your real hair color, it means that you have Nord blood in you. History lesson, in case that priest in Maar Gan never taught you: Nords and Dunmer are ancient enemies. What if you join House Redoran, learn our secrets and tell them to your people in Skyrim?</p><p>– It’s my real hair color, serjo. But I’m a Dunmer. My father might have been a Nord, I never knew him. I don’t know who he was.</p><p>– I see. You should get a haircut then. – He remarked. Perhaps it was a way to say ‘I apologize if I was rude, let’s move on.’ Or perhaps this mer didn’t care about hurting the feelings of others at all and thought that it was appropriate to make this remark after hearing my story. – And why do you want to join House Redoran?</p><p>– I want to learn how to defend myself. – I stated.</p><p>– But you can do that in the Fighters’ Guild or the Imperial Legion too. – He responded. – I mean, why the Redoran specifically?</p><p>– My mother was a Redoran retainer. And I have no love for Imperial institutions. Is that a good enough reason? – I asked. I was more and more annoyed by this mer.</p><p>– A horrible reason! Tradition? Really, you couldn’t come up with anything better? You should follow your own path, not your mother’s path. But I like the second part of your answer, so I’ll give a bonus point for that. Now, the last part of your application process. A duel, to see if you could actually be useful for House Redoran. We want to see how you can fight.</p><p>– But Serjo Venim! I’m certainly not as skillful as a Redoran noble. – I argued.</p><p>– You don’t have to defeat me. If you can hit me once at least, you’re more than qualified. We’ll teach you the rest. Ready?</p><p>– Yes. – I said, reluctantly.</p><p>– Wrong. You’re already dead with that long hair of yours. Why do you think all the Redoran have it short? Because an enemy can grab long hair or long beards during physical combat. Has anyone tried to pull your hair out in combat? It hurts. Either get a haircut in two minutes, or put your helmet on already, for Vivec’s sake.</p><p>I did as I was asked and with the helmet on my head and my mother’s mace in my hand, I was ready to face the warrior who was standing in the other side of the room. He didn’t do anything, he just waited for my attack with his sword pulled out. I charged at him, and I was ready to swing the mace against his body, but as it was about to reach his body, the mer disappeared right before my eyes. I was confused. Where did he go? Did he teleport away?</p><p>A voice addressed me from behind my back:</p><p>– I’m here, Elisamsi. You’re dead. I could have backstabbed you five times already.</p><p>– That was a dirty trick! – I protested. I was outraged with this insolent mer.</p><p>– It’s House Redoran, not Desele’s House of Earthly Delights. We fight against the Hlaalu. The Telvanni. They use dirty tricks all the time. I had a “recall” amulet hidden in my left hand, and before you could hit me, it teleported me to my “mark,” which was the middle of the room. I lied. I never expected you to even hit me. All I was interested in how you react to this. How you should have reacted was immediately turning around and pressing your back against the wall. An important lesson on self-defense: If someone disappears by any means – teleportation, chameleon, invisibility – they will always try to get behind you. Someone like you in House Redoran would be a waste of resources. Neminda! – He turned towards the Redguard. – Application rejected. And you. Get a haircut, really. I go back to Venim manor to practice my Sloadic. Gxis la revido.</p><p>The mer left the room, and Neminda addressed me:</p><p>– I’m sorry, dear. Serjo Venim is just like that. However, I have to agree with him. Unfortunately, you don’t meet our requirements. If you want to learn how to defend yourself, maybe you could try the Fighters’ Guild. Yes, they are outlanders, but the local guildmaster, Percius Mercius is really honorable. – She said with a lot of empathy in her voice, which even acknowledged a Dunmer’s reluctance to work with outlanders, in spite of being one herself. – However, if you wish to serve the Dunmer instead, maybe you could try the Temple? During your duel, I looked at your application form, and I think that you have a lot of useful qualities that they may like. You seem to be pious, you have already completed the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces. You have a knowledge of their theology, being raised under the Temple’s wings. And you are a cook. Maybe you could make them potions? Maybe you could heal wounded and sick Dunmer. I’m sure that working in a tradehouse also gave you an understanding of other people, that is also useful, as sick and wounded people tend to be unpredictable sometimes.</p><p>– To be honest, what I had in mind was going back to Maar Gan and begging my former boss at the tradehouse to take me back. – I replied, with resignation in my tone.</p><p>– Think about it! Warriors and healers are equally useful and needed in our society. Yes, you are not the best warrior, but you seem to be someone who might be successful pursuing the trade of a healer, based on the information you provided to us.</p><p>– I don’t know. I would need to defend myself, even as a healer.</p><p>– Well, you can earn a decent wage as a healer, use the money to train with the Fighers’ Guild and then apply to House Redoran again, if you still wish. – Neminda shrugged – I’ll put together a letter of recommendation to the priest at the Ald-ruhn Temple, in which it will be stated that I find you to be a suitable candidate to become a Temple healer. – She announced.</p><p>I said yes to her offer, because she was especially nice and understanding with me, even though I failed to meet House Redoran’s requirements. I didn’t want to offend her. I didn’t expect that I would qualify, because I was certain that making potions is more complex than making food, and that I would be rejected again, but I thought that I would give this idea of hers a shot, as I had nothing to lose. If it didn’t work out either, I would simply go back to Maar Gan, and to my former life.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice’s time as a Novice in the Temple. A meeting with that mysterious outlander. Completing the pilgrimage in Maar Gan, and an encounter with the Dremora, Anhaedra.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few weeks passed since my application to House Redoran had been rejected. The heat of the summer was gone, and early autumn’s mild, still pleasant and warm weather took over. With Neminda’s recommendation, and my friendship with Tralas Rendas, the master of the Ald-ruhn Temple, Tuls Valen was eager to accept me into the ranks of the Tribunal Temple. With the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces completed, I had demonstrated my piety, and I could answer any basic level question expected from a new member concerning theology, thanks to my education under the Temple’s wings as a child.</p><p>As a novice, I had to dedicate five days of the week to the Temple. Most of that time was spent by doing chores around the Temple and doing the bidding of the priests. I had to sweep the floors of the building every day, because people carried a lot of ash inside with their boots. I went out to the wilderness to collect ingredients. I cleaned the bookshelves and removed the dust that was collecting on the books. They wanted me to also take care of the guars outside, but they realized that animals do not feel comfortable in my presence, so that duty was given to another novice. As I was a cook before, it was natural that I would also prepare dinner for everyone, which we would eat, then pray together before going to bed. For my work, I got a place to live, food, a small amount of money and the promise that one day I could become a priestess too.</p><p>A few hours of the day was spent by studying for that purpose. Most of my studies consisted of Tribunal theology, and the priests agreed that I would be most suitable as a healer, so they taught me alchemy. I was surprised how easy it was, and that it really wasn’t different from cooking. I could learn the process of brewing a potion under a week. All that I needed to do was grinding the materials together into a paste, boil that paste, and distill it. The harder part was memorizing the effects of each ingredient, and what kind of potions can be made from a combination of those ingredients. The priests insisted that I learn all of this information by heart. When I asked why, when the library is full of books already containing the recipes, they argued that in a life or death situation, I would need to act quickly, and wouldn’t have time to look up the recipe. However, most of the people we healed were not in a life or death situation. In fact, the number of adventurers and Redoran soldiers who needed their wounds to be treated was minimal. We had a lot of blighted people, being in the Ashlands, however most of our customers were commoners who needed remedies for commoner problems, such as headaches. It wasn’t an exciting life, but I had two days of the week off, and I could choose whether to stay in the Temple without having to contribute with my work, or go home to Maar Gan those days. Once a week, there was a service for the faithful of Ald-ruhn, and sometimes a novice was given the opportunity to speak in front of the congregation.</p><p>I made it a habit to wear the bonemold armor of my mother. The weeks of constant usage made wearing it tolerable, but it was still not comfortable for me. I got used to its weight. My life during that period was boring like that, but one day, Tuls Valen called for me.</p><p>– I have a task for you, my child. – He told me.</p><p>– What is your bidding, master? – I asked him.</p><p>– You are an Ashlander. I don’t know whether you’ve heard about Hassour Zainsubani, or not. He is an Ashlander, who settled in Ald-ruhn, and became a successful merchant. However, he still didn’t embrace the words of Almsivi. It must be changed. I learned that he likes poetry. I want you to take this copy of The Cantatas of Vivec and give it to him. It contains songs about Vivec. He may appreciate it, especially if it comes from a fellow Ashlander. – He told me and handed over the book to me.</p><p>– Good thinking, master. Gift-giving is an important Ashlander tradition.</p><p>– I know that. Of course I know. Now go.</p><p>– Yes, master. Just a question: Where is Hassour Zainsubani located?</p><p>– If you want to become a priestess one day, you should be able to solve the problem of not being told that, for example by asking around in town. – He told me, with contempt in his voice.</p><p>– I’m doing that. I’m asking you. – I replied.</p><p>– He rents a room in the Ald Skar Inn. – He sighed, shaking his head.</p><p>Perhaps that day may have been like any other day in the Ald-ruhn Temple with just another errand to deliver a book, but when I arrived to the Ald Skar Inn, someone caught my attention. It was the first time I saw that person. The publican told me where was Hassour Zainsubani, and as I approached his table, I saw that he is talking with somebody. They were talking about Ashlanders, our customs, and Ashlander beliefs, such as the Nerevarine prophecies. I didn’t interrupt them in the middle of their conversation, but that person somehow captivated me. I waited patiently until they finished. I sat down at a nearby table with the book in my hand. After an hour, that person left. They briefly glanced at me upon exiting the room. Their look was sharp, and I felt that I was doing something wrong and that person accused me silently. I didn’t even realize that asking for information about the Nerevarine prophecies is suspicious activity which I probably should have reported to the Temple. Maybe that was what they had in mind? That I overheard them?</p><p>After the person left, I approached the Ashlander:</p><p>– Under sun and sky, brother. Are you Hassour Zainsubani? – I asked.</p><p>– Under sun and sky, sister. Yes. And who are you? – He asked me.</p><p>– Elisamsi.</p><p>– Elisamsi what?</p><p>– Just Elisamsi.</p><p>– I see. How can I help you, Elisamsi?</p><p>– I bring a gift from Tuls Valen. – I told him and handed the book over to him.</p><p>– Tuls Valen? Isn’t he a Temple priest? – He asked me and took the book over, then he went on – Clever. I like poetry so he sends the Ashlander girl with a book of poetry about Vivec. It’s not going to work, you can tell him that.</p><p>– I see that you’ve got something similar already. – I said casually. I saw that the stranger whom I observed previously had also given a book of poetry to him and that it was lying on Zainsubani’s table. Somehow I felt compelled to learn more about that particular person, so I asked it, as casually as I could pretend to be – A friend of yours?</p><p>– Thank you for your gift. Leave me now. – He said coldly.</p><p>As it was rude among Ashlanders to deny such a request, I did as I was asked and said goodbye to Hassour Zainsubani. I returned to the Temple to report to Tuls Valen.</p><p>– What did he say to the book? – He asked me.</p><p>– He knows what you’re planning, and he says that it won’t work. – I told him, with a neutral tone in my voice.</p><p>– The mills of the gods grind slowly. But they do grind. – He told me, making me remember this well-known proverb concerning the Tribunal. I chose to remain silent about that strange person who visited Zainsubani before me. – Now, I have a new task for you. Do you carry a weapon?</p><p>– I have my mother’s mace. – I took the old iron mace from my side and showed it to him.</p><p>– That won’t be sufficient. Have it enchanted. Mistress Ureso Drath, the enchantress of our Temple, will help you with that. Your task will be the following: to demonstrate your faith, you must make the Pilgrimage to Maar Gan.</p><p>– Maar Gan? – I asked, with a hopeful voice. I was glad that I would have the opportunity to see my friends and maybe even spend a night at my home, all while I’m doing my duties to the Temple.</p><p>– Yes. You grew up in the shrine, so you know the story, I assume. Read the inscription on the rock and imitate Vivec’s actions. And give my regards to Tralas, please.</p><p>In order to complete the pilgrimage to Maar Gan, I needed to defeat a Dremora in combat, so enchanting the mace was necessary. It cost me a small fortune to have the enchanter put a basic fire damage spell onto the weapon, but if I wanted to defend myself against supernatural foes, it was a necessary investment. It seemed that the enchantment not only made this decades-old mace slightly more useful by the fire damage spell, but also by making it look like as if it was a brand new iron mace that one just bought from a smith. The magic made the rust go away. The enchanter told me that it’s a custom in Tamriel to give enchanted items a unique name. I told her that I would name it simply “Mother’s Mace,” as that was how I always called it anyway. After giving a few swings to my enchanted mace, I left the Temple.</p><p>On the streets of Ald-ruhn, I noticed that a Redoran patrol was just coming back to the city. They were sitting on guars and had a couple of bandits – all outlanders – tied to the animals. I assumed that they have captured them somewhere, and dragged them through the Ashlands to try them in Ald-ruhn and give them the appropriate punishment later. House Redoran’s decision to recruit new members and increase the size of their army made me feel safe, especially when I saw a scene like that. In the Temple, rumors were heard that House Indoril was going to introduce the same measure, which would also mean more soldiers at the Tribunal Temple’s disposal to fight heretics, blasphemers and monsters.</p><p>It was late afternoon, and the sun was already going down. I was happy about that, because the trip to Maar Gan would take a couple of hours, and surely no one would object if I decided to stay there for the night, instead of coming back to Ald-ruhn in pitch dark. I went to the silt strider port, paid my fare and arrived to Maar Gan by the evening.</p><p>I headed to the shrine, where my friend, Tralas Rendas, was talking with his colleague, Denor Serayn. I’ve waited for them to finish, and Denor to leave before I approached Tralas.</p><p>– Alice! – He said. – You’re back. You’ve got a day off? – He asked.</p><p>– Greetings, Tralas. No, I was sent here by Tuls Valen to do the pilgrimage.</p><p>– That’s great news. Good to see you again! I hope that you’ll stay for the night too. As a child, you have seen and heard this hundreds of times, so you know what will happen. Do you want the blessings of the Tribunal against your foe?</p><p>– Yes.</p><p>– Very well. Stand still. – He requested, and cast a spell on me. – This blessing is a sanctuary spell and a fortify attack spell. The former makes you harder to be hit, and the latter makes you easier to hit things. Now, I assume you know the story already?</p><p>– Yes, yes, yes. Vivec taunted Mehrunes Dagon, so he threw that rock at him, instead of the people. I need to follow his steps.</p><p>– I’m sure that it will be an easy task for you. You’ve heard hundreds of pilgrims taunting our friend here, and I think that you’ve learned a lot from them. You tend to make snarky remarks sometimes, too.</p><p>– Only to people who deserve it. And wouldn’t hurt me for it.</p><p>I turned away from my friend, and approached Anhaedra, the Dremora of the Maar Gan shrine. I have spent my childhood in the presence of this monster, and saw him taunted and defeated by several pilgrims. Sometimes, a pilgrim was unable to defeat him and was almost killed by him, but then the priests quickly intervened. Even with my mediocre combat skills, I knew that I was safe for that reason. I was certain that with this blessing I received, I would also manage to defeat Anhaedra. He addressed me, with the same terrible voice all Dremora have:</p><p>– Mortal! It’s you! The time has come. You grew up so quickly. I remember that a few years ago, you annoyed everyone in this shrine, and now you are a grown-up woman doing the pilgrimage. Soon, you’ll be dead and tormented forever in Oblivion!</p><p>– And you’ll be tormented here forever, being defeated by pilgrims. How does that feel?</p><p>– Come on mortal, you can do it better.</p><p>I took out my mace, and replied:</p><p>– You will suffer greatly! There is no escape!</p><p>– Your threats are weak like your flesh, mortal.</p><p>– I’d like to kick you in the teeth but why should I improve your looks?</p><p>– Continue with your insults, mortal. I long to feast on your marrow.</p><p>– I like you, Anhaedra. People say I’ve no taste, but I like you.</p><p>– Ha! Fine words from one born from the wrong end of a guar.</p><p>The Dremora remained calm, in spite of my insults. He didn’t attack me. I had to think about the situation. I concluded that an insult which might provoke him into attacking me should be about his situation. He was a Dremora after all, bound to this world by Vivec to do the bidding of mortals and do the same ritual over and over again. Based on my understanding of the teachings of Almsivi, the Daedra are proud creatures, therefore he must be reminded of his status, which I assumed must be a disgrace for him. I carefully considered this thought before I opened my mouth:</p><p>– So, Anhaedra. You ended up assisting pilgrims in a small town on Nirn, while your friends torment mortals and have fun all day in Oblivion. It must feel bad that mortals could compel you to do their bidding. I heard that strong Daedra can break these spells, but certainly you’re not one of them. I mean, how much time have you spent here already? Still couldn’t break away? You’re a weakling. I can imagine that when a Dremora was summoned to do this task, Mehrunes Dagon said: “You need a Dremora bound to Nirn forever? Take Anhaedra! He’s useless to me anyway. And he smells.”</p><p>The Dremora visibly got angry, and drew his silver longsword:</p><p>After I kill you, I will rape your corpse. Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle. – He threatened me, and then attacked me. With the blessing on me, I could defeat him surprisingly easily. He missed most of his attacks, but some of them managed to hit me. It was only a couple of minutes before he turned into dust before my eyes. After the battle, I used the magic in my robe to heal my wounds for the first time in my life. I approached the rock, knelt before it and said a short prayer to Vivec. He acknowledged that I have followed his steps properly, as I felt once again that his magic surrounds my body. Suddenly, I felt that I look more beautiful than usual, like one of those noblewomen in House Redoran who live under Skar. I felt that I can speak better, and several new taunts came into my mind that I could have used to make the Dremora attack me.</p><p>Night had fallen, and we had spent some of it at the Andus Tradehouse. This time I was a customer, and not a waitress. I’ve had a meal and a cup of mazte, after which I went home to my hut to sleep. I only went back to Ald-ruhn with the first silt strider in the morning.</p><p>I entered the Temple of Ald-ruhn and requested a meeting with Master Tuls Valen.</p><p>– I have completed the pilgrimage, master. – I announced, and then I proceeded to tell him the details of what had happened.</p><p>– It sounds like you handled Anhaedra well. Since you have learned another of Vivec’s lessons, please take this book as a gift. – He replied, and gave me a book titled Death Blow of Abernanit. -Now, it’s time to talk about your advancement.</p><p>– Advancement? – I asked.</p><p>– The Temple recognizes you, Alice. You have done your duties well, and made good progress with your studies. You are now Alice, the Initiate.</p><p>– What does it mean to be an “Initiate,” master?</p><p>– You are still far away from becoming a priestess, but you have taken a step towards it. You’ll get a slightly better wage, and you won’t have to stay here anymore to do the chores around the Temple. Instead of that, you’ll be sent out to practice your duty to Almsivi, which is healing. You will be given tasks to help sick and wounded people. You are still expected to dedicate a significant portion of your time to studying, however.</p><p>– Thank you, master. Is there any task for me now?</p><p>– Yes, there is. Go to Vivec, and look for Endryn Llethan, the Tribunal priest there. I have already written a letter to him, explaining who you are. Give it to him, and he shall give you a task.</p><p>With that, he handed a letter over to me, and dismissed me. I felt jubilant that I got a promotion in the Tribunal Temple, and I was eager to go to Vivec immediately to begin practicing my calling, and to complete whatever task I would be given there.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice encounters a victim of the corprus disease. How she convinces her to leave Vivec City. A sick outlander whom Alice cures.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I used the service of the Mages’ Guild to travel to Vivec, like last time, when I was there because of the pilgrimages. I would have never expected that I would see this city again in a couple of weeks. I assumed that maybe if I was lucky I would have the opportunity to visit it one more time in my life, years or decades later. The city was still confusing for me, but I remembered my last time, and I could find the Temple canton in a shorter time than previously. I asked some of the priests about the location of Endryn Llethan, and it turned out that he is not simply a Temple master, but the right hand mer of Archcanon Saryoni himself, therefore he has his office inside the High Fane, the Ghostgate-like structure on top of the canton. I tried to enter the building, but an Ordinator stopped me.</p><p>– None may enter the High Fane without being summoned or being on an official Temple business.</p><p>– I have a letter to Endryn Llethan from Master Tuls Valen – I said, and showed the letter to him.</p><p>– Fine. – The Ordinator replied. I could feel the contempt in his voice.</p><p>I entered the High Fane, and found the office of the priest. He was guarded by two Ordinators all the time, one outside and one inside. It seemed that the Temple took the security of this particular building very seriously, after all this is where the Archcanon also had his office.</p><p>– Master Llethan – I addressed him – My name is Initiate Elisamsi.</p><p>– Initiate? How does that concern me? This is the High Fane, not a Temple in a fishing village. What do you want?</p><p>– I have a letter from Master Tuls Valen. – I said, and handed the letter over. He broke the seal, and started to read it. A few minutes had passed, when he finally put it down and addressed me:</p><p>– So, according to Master Tuls Valen, you have a lot of potential as a healer, and he wants me to use your abilities. Now, being a healer is not about mixing potions. Everyone could do that. But few can withstand the shock caused by the sight of diseased people, blood, suffering and death. You have to prove it to me that you have the ability to do that. A holy woman here in Vivec is spreading the Divine Disease to others. Someone must convince Tanusea Veloth to leave Vivec City.</p><p>– Leave Vivec City? – I asked. Only after saying that, did it dawn on me that the master mentioned that this woman had the Divine Disease. I didn’t have time to fully grasp what that meant as he opened his mouth in a second:</p><p>– Yes, that’s what I said. – He explained, with patience in his voice, but with visible annoyance in his gestures. – Tanusea Veloth is a holy Pilgrim and well loved by the people. Do not kill her. Try and convince her to go to the Corprusarium before she spreads the Divine Disease to others. She is very devout and would be most easily impressed by some show of your devotion to the Temple’s teachings. You may find her in the Arena.</p><p>– Yes, master. – I said, and I turned around and left the building. I dreaded this encounter, as I heard about the terrible “Divine Disease” before. It was a euphemism for Corprus disease, which slowly turned the victim into a nasty monster, and it didn’t have a cure. I decided that for protection while I talk with the woman, I would leave my helmet on. There was nothing else that I could do to protect myself, but someone had to do this task, if not me, then another healer, or an Ordinator who would have to kill her in order to prevent others from becoming infected too.</p><p>After walking around for a bit, I found the Arena canton and entered it. When I first entered Vivec weeks ago, my first impression was that it is a magnificent and beautiful city, but in that moment I felt as I’m in a different place. In the Arena, warriors were fighting to the death, and the spectators were drunk, as they cheered for the combatants. The floor was full of trash, such as empty bottles and pieces of paper. A Dunmer told me the location of Tanusea Veloth, she was among the spectators. I approached her, and I was careful not to get too close.</p><p>The woman had a terrible stench. Even under the helmet, I felt it, and I almost vomited from it. She could be seen already having some of the symptoms of the disease. Some of her body parts were mildly swollen, such as her feet. She was incapable of wearing shoes. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. Her skin was visibly rough and dry, and it seemed that it was itching for her and she already scratched some of it off here and there.</p><p>– Are you Tanusea Veloth? – I asked her, maintaining my distance and pretending that I could not figure that out already.</p><p>– Yes. And who are you, dear?</p><p>– I am Elisamsi, from the Temple.</p><p>– It’s always a great pleasure to talk with a faithful! Now, how may I help you?- She replied. She was kind and respectful with me, which made it harder for me.</p><p>– The Temple requests that you leave the city.</p><p>– What? Why should I leave? – She protested.</p><p>– You have the Divine Disease.</p><p>– I have heard others make these claims. Why should I believe you? Am I disfigured? Do I look as if I have Corprus? – She asked. I had heard that victims of the Corprus Disease also have delusions, and in this case it was thinking that everything is fine, and not realizing that she was sick. Or perhaps she realized that she was sick, she just used denial as a last weapon in order to enjoy a couple more days of happiness before she turned.</p><p>As I was thinking about that, a fear for my own existence overcame me. It was a thought, deeply buried in my mind, which I rarely wanted to deal with: The fact that one day I’m going to die too. I occupied myself with my studies, and work and dozens of other things that I had to do each day, pretending that it would never happen. But sometimes, when I could not sleep, and I was lying on my bed, thinking and waiting for the time I have to wake up, it always ended with this thought. I panicked, sometimes I cried too. But this time, instead of dread and panic, the feeling of empathy occupied my thoughts, and I felt that I understood how she felt. Maybe she had a few more days left to enjoy life as a mer. I understood it for the first time that my task is not simply making her leave Vivec, and thus ensure the safety of the other citizens, but also to offer some solace to her. I remembered that Master Llethan told me that she is a pious Temple follower.</p><p>– Muthsera. – I said. – I know that it’s hard for you. I wish I could cure your disease. But I can offer you only Serjo Saryoni’s words: “Thank you for your valor, Lord Vivec. I shall not quail, nor turn away, but face my enemies and my fear.” Do you remember how Lord Vivec faced Ruddy Man? He was brave. We should all be brave. You shouldn’t fear, because you have both the power and Almsivi to face this challenge that destiny has given to you. But you must leave this city so that others wouldn’t have to suffer.</p><p>– You are right. Forgive me for being so selfish. I should face my fears and leave to the Corprusarium at once. Pray with me for my soul, Elisamsi. – We knelt down and prayed to Almsivi together, hoping that they would save her soul somehow.</p><p>– May Almsivi be with you on this path that you are forced to walk. – I said, and left her.</p><p>I walked back to the High Fane in silence. When I requested a meeting with Master Llethan, the Ordinators held me up, until a healer arrived to check if I caught the disease by spending time with the woman. After it was revealed that I’m healthy, I could enter the master’s office. As I entered, he addressed me:</p><p>– I am glad you were able to convince Tanusea Veloth to leave. She will be cared for in the Corprusarium and will no longer spread the disease. Please take these potions. – He handed over two potions to cure blight disease to me. If I caught Corprus, they wouldn’t have helped me, but the various blight diseases are also dangerous, and these potions were definitely helpful to carry around. – However, I feel that two potions are not a sufficient reward for this task. Is there anything the Temple could help you with?</p><p>– Thank you, Master. Yes, there would be something. I want to be able to defend myself. I have a mace, but I’m not really good at using it.</p><p>– We can solve that. Go to the St. Delyn Canton, and look for Ernse Llervu. She will give you a few lessons, free of charge. After that, go to Molag Mar. Healers are desperately needed by the Temple there as it is located in the hostile Molag Amur region and pilgrims frequently pass through it.</p><p>I thanked the master for offering this help to me, and headed over to the St. Delyn Canton. After asking around a bit, it was revealed that Ernse Llervu was living in the Abbey of St. Delyn the Wise, which was the Temple of that particular canton.</p><p>I have spent a couple of days with her, which was all dedicated to training with the mace. I felt that I became significantly better in handling it than before. She told me that if I want to train even more then I could join the Fighters’ Guild, and pay for their services, but maybe an even better option would be to head out to the wilderness on my own and learn as I use this skill in real situations, and not in practice rooms.</p><p>I went to Molag Mar by boat. The city looked similar to Vivec, even though it only contained one canton and the ash storms made it less pleasant than Vivec, which was in the lush and green Ascadian Isles region. I immediately visited the local Temple to offer my services there as a healer. I was greeted by a male Dunmer:</p><p>– I am Tharer Rotheloth, Steward of the Molag Mar Temple. What can I do for you, my child? – He asked.</p><p>– I am Elisamsi, Initiate of the Temple. I was sent by Master Endryn Llethan, to work as a healer here.</p><p>– Excellent. We always need more healers. I have a task for you. A villager in Tel Mora has fallen ill, but there is no Temple in Tel Mora where she can go for healing. Go to Tel Mora and cure Lette.</p><p>– Please tell me more about this Lette, master.</p><p>– The Temple does not proselytize, but we do good works for non-believers. Lette, a Redguard in Tel Mora, has swamp fever. Cure her of swamp fever and return to me.</p><p>I nodded, and I went to the Temple’s alchemist to buy some ingredients from which I could make a couple of potions for treating that illness. I was relieved that it wasn’t something as serious as Corprus disease now, just a case of common disease. I mixed the ingredients together, boiled and distilled the paste that I’ve got and filled a couple of bottles with it. I learned that a boat was heading to Tel Mora, but not directly. First, it went to Tel Branora, and also stopped in Sadrith Mora briefly. The boat arrived to Tel Branora under two hours, but from Tel Branora to Sadrith Mora, it took half of a day, most of which I had spent with sleeping. From Sadrith Mora to Tel Mora it was another five hours.</p><p>When I finally arrived, I was amazed by sight of the town. All mushrooms. The tavern, the shops, the houses, all were carved out mushrooms. The Telvanni were definitely strange, but somehow the way their mushroom buildings signified how their whole society is out of ordinary was charming for me. I also noticed that everyone I’ve met in Tel Mora were women. I haven’t seen a single man or mer in the entire town, not even the guards. Even though female guards existed, especially in Redoran territory where I lived, being a guard was still a masculine job, therefore it was extremely strange that among all the guards of the city none were males.</p><p>I learned that Lette has imposed a self-exile on herself and voluntarily decided to live outside the town in a camp, at least until she got cured. As I approached her, she addressed me:</p><p>– Please. Leave me alone. I am not feeling well. I am diseased. You should go unless you want to catch it.</p><p>– Are you Lette? – I asked. – I was sent by the Tribunal Temple to cure you.</p><p>– Yes. I have Swamp Fever. My head is swimming and I feel terribly weak.</p><p>– Here, try this. – I told her, and gave one of the potions that I had made for her.</p><p>– I cannot thank you enough. – She said, and drank the potion. – I feel much better, thank you. But it’s still awful, I hope it will go away soon.</p><p>– It will cure you quickly. It’s just Swamp Fever. A relatively mild disease.</p><p>– You call this mild? – She asked, with sarcasm in her voice.</p><p>– Look, if it won’t get better in a couple of days, here’s another potion. – I gave her the other potion that I made too. – If it does get better, just keep it in case you get sick again. This town is so far away from everything, the Temple might not always have someone to spare to come here.</p><p>– Thank you. – She replied.</p><p>I said goodbye to her, and I could catch the next boat, which took me back to Molag Mar. I understood that the Telvanni do not really care about anything, but it still puzzled me why this villager couldn’t have been cured by one of those powerful mages. If not out from a desire to help, then in order to prevent the disease from spreading. The commoners all getting sick means that the Telvanni mages wouldn’t have anyone to work in their fields and mines at least for a couple of weeks. I didn’t understand how was it possible that Telvanni society hadn’t collapsed so far with the mages neglecting the commoners so much.</p><p>Back in the Molag Mar Temple, Tharer Rotheloth waited for me:</p><p>– Did you cure Lette? – He asked, without greeting me or making any remarks about my arrival.</p><p>– Yes, Master.</p><p>– You are indeed worthy of the Tribunal’s praise. Perhaps you would enjoy this book. Although it is clearly heretical, it contains a gem of truth in it’s lesson on healing and resistance. Are you ready for more duties? – He asked, and handed over a book to me titled 2920, Rain’s Hand. At that point of my life, I was not familiar yet with that particular year of history, and I didn’t know what happened back then, but I understood that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the book even if the historical background was known by me, as I assumed that “Rain’s Hand” is the fourth part of this book series, and first I would need to read Morning Star, Sun’s Dawn, and First Seed so that it would make sense to me.</p><p>– Thank you, Master. Yes, I’m ready for my next assignment.</p><p>– To prove that you are wise and brave, you must make the Pilgrimage to Mount Kand. – He announced.</p><p>– A pilgrimage? Again? – I asked in disbelief. When I had the opportunity to do the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces, I felt grateful, but with those, and the pilgrimage to Maar Gan, and this, it felt too much for me.</p><p>– What was that?</p><p>– Nothing. Forgive me, Master.</p><p>– The way of the Temple priestess is lifelong learning and becoming a better person every day. – He said in connection to my previous remark, and then continued: – Mount Kand is to the northwest of Molag Mar. It’s on the left side of the trail. On Mount Kand, Vivec won a contest of wits with three Daedra. There are few lights in the caverns. You may need these potions. – He told me, and handed over four night-eye potions to me.</p><p>I left the Temple and soon Molag Mar itself was behind me. The Molag Amur region was similar to the Ashlands, where I lived most of my life, so neither the harshness of the environment nor the ash storm could discourage me from doing the pilgrimage. On my way to the site, cliff racers occasionally attacked me, and even an alit which, to my surprise I could kill with my mother’s mace. I felt successful, as on the day I started the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces, I had to run away from one. It seemed that my training with Ernse Llervu and her expertise had a positive effect on my skills. However, I understood that I was still far away from being at the level of a competent warrior, and that I should take training even more seriously if I want to be able to defend myself from even more dangerous foes.</p><p>I noticed that the Molag Amur region had several lava pools and rivers, which made it different from the Ashlands. I didn’t understand how was it possible. I knew that Red Mountain must have erupted once in the past, and the lava destroyed the majority of the island, forming the Ashlands and the Molag Amur region. But how was it possible that in the Molag Amur region still had some of that lava in the form of pools and rivers, while they were all extinguished in the Ashlands? The Ashlands were a similarly arid region, it never rained there, that is why towns like Maar Gan sustained themselves from egg mining, and not agriculture.</p><p>As I pondered these thoughts, I arrived to Mount Kand, which – compared to Red Mountain – was rather just a hill. I climbed it, and I was soon in front of the door of the cavern which hid my next challenge, and my next step on my road to spiritual enlightenment. I entered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice completes the Mount Kand pilgrimage, and how she solves the riddles of the Daedra. Joining the Fighters’ Guild, and killing rats. A task to kill egg poachers and how she refuses to do that. Some independent adventuring.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The cave was pitch dark, and drinking one of those low-quality night-eye potions didn’t help much either. It made my eyes perceive the cave as slightly brighter – barely enough for me to be able to move around without falling to my face. I arrived to a lava pool, next to which there was a flame atronach standing. Master Rotheloth told me that in this cave, Vivec defeated three Daedra in a contest of wit, therefore I did not anticipate it attacking me, but I still gripped my mother’s mace on my side, just to be on the safe side. As I approached it, it addressed me:</p><p>– Answer my riddle, fool.</p><p>– Very well. Tell me your riddle. – I replied.</p><p>The Daedra spoke slowly. It was obvious that he memorized the riddle word by word:</p><p>“A metal neither black nor red</p><p>As heavy as man’s golden greed</p><p>What you do to stay ahead</p><p>With friend or arrow or steed”</p><p>– I remember this! – I exclaimed. – It was in a book I read some time ago. It’s lead. Lead is the answer.</p><p>– Pass, mortal. – The Daedra commanded me. I did as I was told, and ventured deeper in the cave. Suddenly, I felt that it’s cold, like in winter. I noticed that there was ice under my feet, so I took careful steps because I didn’t want to fall. A frost atronach was standing in the middle of the ice, and it addressed me:</p><p>– Answer this riddle for me, mortal. Or does thy blood run cold?</p><p>– What is your riddle?</p><p>– If you lie to me I will slay you with my sword. If you tell me the truth, I will slay you with a spell.</p><p>This riddle was tougher than the previous one. I was careful not to say anything, while I was thinking about it. I concluded that the point of this one was to prevent the atronach from attacking me, however it attacks me whether I lie or tell the truth. I thought that the only logical solution would be not saying anything. I passed next to the atronach, and descended deeper into the cave. Soon, a third atronach was before me, this time, it was a storm atronach. I addressed it:</p><p>– What is your riddle, Daedra?</p><p>– You have not answered the riddle of the frost atronach yet.</p><p>– Oh! – I exclaimed, and turned around. So my initial solution was not right, and I should have said something. The night-eye effect wore off, and it was pitch dark in the cave again. Without seeing anything, I tried to find another potion in my backpack. After a few minutes, I managed to find it, and I drank it, and went back to the frost atronach. After thinking for a few minutes, I approached it and opened my mouth:</p><p>– You will slay me with a sword. – I said. If I lied to it, it would attack me with a sword. However, by attacking me with a sword, it would make my statement true. Which would make it attack me with a spell, but that would make my statement false, which would make it attack me with a sword, which would make my statement true and so on.</p><p>– Excellent. You are a worthy opponent. If you do not wish to feel the chills of Oblivion, you may pass.</p><p>I nodded and went back to the storm atronach. It addressed me:</p><p>– My fellow Atronach, Zedias-soko, was slain. The Altmer claims the Dunmer is guilty. The Dunmer says the Khajiit did it. The Orc swears he didn’t kill Zedias-soko. The Khajiit says the Dunmer is lying. If only one of these speaks the truth, who killed Zedias-soko?</p><p>This riddle was even harder than the previous one. I was thinking about it for long minutes, but I just couldn’t solve it. I tried to imagine the different scenarios in my mind when one particular character is telling the truth, and what could be concluded from that, but I always lost my track of thought. I would have needed a piece of paper to draw a chart or something, but it was impossible in that darkness, even with my night-eye potions. I sighed.</p><p>– The Orc. – I said. I thought that I had 25% chance to say the correct answer, and Orcs are murderers and brutes anyway.</p><p>– I acknowledge that your answer is correct. – The atronach replied, to my surprise. I couldn’t believe that I was so lucky. I concluded that sometimes prejudice might be a useful tool. Thinking that I was cheating with this last riddle, I quickly vanished from the sight of the Daedra and went deeper into the cave. I reached the bottom of the cave, and my night-eye potion wore off once again. I drank the third one and saw that there was a shrine before me. I read the inscription, which I could barely see:</p><p>“Here Vivec won a contest of wits with three Daedra. After enraging them with his answers, he used their bones to build houses for his people.”</p><p>I knelt before the shrine, and offered a short prayer. I felt that the magic of Lord Vivec was surrounding me, and that suddenly I was more intelligent and that I could endure more injuries in combat. I left the cave – with the night-eye potion once again wearing off halfway out, so I had to use the last one too – and returned to Molag Mar.</p><p>– Master, I have successfully completed the pilgrimage. – I told Master Rotheloth.</p><p>– I celebrate your success. I promote you to Acolyte now. It means that you are a priestess on probation now. You possess all the rudimentary knowledge on Tribunal theology, and you are encouraged to further your knowledge on your own, and in your own pace. You’ll earn a slightly better wage. Continue doing your duties to Almsivi, and if you are worthy, you’ll be ordained as a priestess soon.</p><p>– Thank you, Master. What are my duties now?</p><p>– I give you two weeks off to rest. You worked hard, so you deserve it. After that, report to Mistress Uvoo Llaren at Ghostgate. That’s where we need people the most nowadays.</p><p>I nodded. It felt awful that I would have to go back there, especially after witnessing the Corprus disease with my own eyes. I thought that I needed to practice my combat skills before I go there, so I would dedicate those two weeks to that. From Molag Mar, I went to Vivec by boat, and then I used the Mages’ Guild’s service to go to Balmora in order to sign up with the Fighters’ Guild. Balmora was a charming town, perhaps it was one of the most pleasant ones in Vvardenfell, in spite of being owned by the Hlaalu. It had several pubs and even more shops where one could browse wares. Booksellers, smiths, traders, and even clothiers. This town had everything one would need. The climate was perfect, as the town was situated at the edge of the West Gash Region.</p><p>After strolling around the town for an hour, I entered the Fighters’ Guild. At the entrance, a red-haired Nord woman addressed me with a stern voice:</p><p>– I am Eydis Fire-Eye, guild steward of the Balmora Fighters’ Guild. Well, speak up, Dunmer. What do you want? Are you here to join the Fighters’ Guild?</p><p>– Yes. – I said, being surprised by the tone. – Sign me up.</p><p>– What’s your name?</p><p>– Elisamsi. – I replied. The Nord woman quickly filled out a form with my name.</p><p>– Sign here. – She said, with contempt in her voice. I did as I was told. I was amazed that it was so easy, and they didn’t have hard tests like House Redoran. I felt that they took in just about everybody.</p><p>– You are now Elisamsi the Associate in the Fighters Guild. Work hard, follow orders, and you’ll do just fine. As a member, you are permitted to use items in our equipment chest and to sleep in the guildhall’s dormitory. Now, I have a very simple contract to end an infestation of cave rats. You might be able to handle it. – She said, with an emphasis on the word “might.”</p><p>– Cave rats? – I inquired.</p><p>– Go to Drarayne Thelas’ house. It’s here in Balmora, along the river on the east side. Ask her where the rats are coming from. Kill the rats and get your payment from Drarayne Thelas. Report back to me once you’ve taken care of this.</p><p>I turned around, and left the Nord woman’s presence. I looked into the equipment chest, and took a couple of potions and repair hammers. I proceeded to find this woman’s house based on the directions I was given. Apparently, the woman was some kind of a pillow-maker, and a couple of rats set up their nest in her attic, where she kept her pillows. It was an easy task for me to dispatch the rats, especially with mother’s mace, which recently got a fire damage enchantment. The woman gave me the reward and following that, I went back to the Fighters’ Guild to report, and used one of the beds of the guildhall to sleep.</p><p>The next day, after a quick breakfast, I used the money which I earned for killing the rats, to participate in the morning training session in the practice room of the Fighters’ Guild. The trainer told us that the best way of getting better with using a weapon is actually using it, so instead of teaching us anything, he just made us fight against each other all morning.</p><p>After the training session was over, I reported to Eydis for my next task:</p><p>– A local egg mine has problems with egg poachers. And you’re going to solve those problems. – She told me.</p><p>– Egg poachers? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes. Egg poachers. Dram Bero, the owner of Shulk Egg Mine, wants to make an example of these thieves to keep other miners from getting funny ideas. The egg poachers, Sevilo Othan and Daynila Valas, are former egg miners, and long-time local troublemakers. You can handle that, can’t you? Report back when the poachers are dead for a 100 gold reward.</p><p>– Dead? – I asked. I couldn’t believe my ears.</p><p>– Yes. Dead.</p><p>– A death penalty doesn’t sound to be a proportional sentence for stealing a few eggs.</p><p>– Learn your place and don’t question your orders.</p><p>– No. This is wrong. – I said. – I’m not going to kill. I’m a healer. And I’m definitely not going to cover my hands in blood for 100 gold.</p><p>– Then I’ll give the contract to somebody else, you foolish girl. And you’re expelled.</p><p>– I’m not expelled. I resign. – I told her. I turned around and went to the dormitory to collect my things. I left the guildhall. I remembered what both the trainer of the Fighters’ Guild and Ernse Llervu told me. Combat skills can be best practiced by actually using a weapon. Surely, I could go out to the wilderness on my own to hunt and explore too. I didn’t need the Fighters’ Guild to hold my hand and teach me. However, I was concerned for the egg poachers. Eydis would surely send somebody else after them. I addressed someone on the streets to tell me where the Shulk Mine was. It turned out that it was directly to the southwest of Balmora, near the shore of the Odai river. As I strolled through the town, and followed the river down there, it started to rain. I enjoyed my walk in this pleasant region. The rain was rather lukewarm, and the scents in the air were agreeable. I noticed a scrib, which was trying to find shelter under a giant mushroom from the rain. I knew that the egg mine was close, but I took my time to collect a few plants and flowers in order to make potions later.</p><p>I entered the Shulk Egg Mine, and addressed one of the miners, a Redguard woman:</p><p>– I’m looking for the egg poachers.</p><p>– We don’t know anything about that. We’re just doing our jobs.</p><p>– I’m not here from the Fighters’ Guild. But if I won’t find them first, they will, and then the egg poachers will die.</p><p>– They are down in the Queen’s lair, stealing eggs.</p><p>I opened the door leading to the Queen’s lair, and saw that they were busy filling a bag with eggs. They didn’t steal a lot, 10 or maybe 15 eggs. If they sold that, maybe they could have got enough money to live on for a few days. They didn’t notice me, and I saw that they were only armed with pickaxes. It was clear: They were only a couple of amateurs. I thought that if I were able to surprise them, they might surrender to me, and then I could save their lives by arresting them.</p><p>– Stop right there! Drop your weapons! – I shouted, and drew my mace. “Almsivi, let this work.” – I thought.</p><p>– It’s House Redoran! – The Dunmer woman exclaimed. – They are on a crusade against criminals all around Vvardenfell since the incident at Andrano Ancestral Tomb. – They both dropped their pickaxes. My mother’s armor may have given the impression that I was a Redoran.</p><p>– Please spare us, good Dunmer. – The mer said. – We beg for our lives!</p><p>– Surrender to Imperial Law and come with me to Fort Moonmoth. – I ordered them. My map showed the location of this particular Imperial fort.</p><p>– Looks like we have no choice. We will come with you. – He said. I told them to lead the way, so that I would be behind them all the time, making it impossible for them to escape or try something even worse, like backstabbing me. We arrived to Fort Mootmoth. The fort was an unremarkable example of Imperial architecture. Huge walls made of stone, with the flag of the Empire hanging at the entrance. Some soldiers were patrolling the courtyard, others were training or enjoying their time off with some booze and the company of their fellow soldiers. One of them told me to talk with the captain of the guard about bounties. I approached him and explained that I was there to turn the egg poachers in.</p><p>– Thank you for bringing in criminals. – He said. – They will face swift justice of lock and cell for many weeks to come along with hard labor. Here is your bounty gold. – He gave me a pouch full of gold, as the guards hauled the egg poachers away. I counted it, and it was 200 gold, double of the amount that Eydis would have given to me for killing them. So this guild steward was cheating her own mercenaries by taking the bounty money herself, and paying only a portion to those who actually did the job. I was glad that I left that organization.</p><p>I went back to Balmora and used the service of the Mages’ Guild to travel to Ald-ruhn, from where I took the silt strider to home, Maar Gan. I decided that I would venture out to the wilderness myself to explore and hunt, and practice my combat skills on my own. I had spent a pleasant evening at the Andus Tradehouse with my friends, and the next morning, I woke up, and brewed a few potions with my alchemical apparatus. Following that, I put on my mother’s armor, and left my hut. I was ready to leave the town and have some adventures on my own.</p><p>I went north, and I passed next to the Hairat-Vassamsi Egg Mine. I followed the trail, which led me to Foyada Bani-Dad, one of the cooled lava channels running down the slopes of Red Mountain. Up north, there weren’t any roads for travelers and pilgrims to use, but these “foyadas” fulfilled that function relatively well. I thought that I would go north, where the Urshilaku Camp is located (without entering their camp, obviously) and dive for pearls near the shore. On my way there, several wild animals attacked me, and most of them were naturally cliff racers. I made it sure to collect every usable ingredient from the carcasses of the fallen animals to sell them later, along with the pearls. I collected the plumes of the cliff racers, the hide of the alit and the meat of the nix-hounds. One of the nix-hounds could scratch me with its claws, but I could heal myself with a potion quickly.</p><p>I left Foyada Bani-Dad to the east and I arrived to the plains that were the territory of the Urshilaku Tribe. While it would have been interesting to talk with them, I understood that they do not trust anyone, including settled Ashlanders, like me, therefore my goal was to dive for pearls near the shore as quickly as I could, without calling their attention upon myself.</p><p>Next to the shore, I took off my armor, and I swam into the sea. I could find three peals in the kollops that were relatively close to the shore. I left the water and dressed up, and I was ready to leave Urshilaku territory immediately.</p><p>However, as I was hurrying back to Foyada Bani-Dad, a sight caught my attention. A Dwemer ruin. My map didn’t say anything about it. It showed that there was a Dwemer ruin in this particular location, but not its name. Somehow I was attracted to this location, and I wanted to enter. But I also knew that if I entered, I would have died. I stopped for a moment and beheld the ruin. I felt that somebody was watching me from the tower of that ruin. Somebody who was close to me.</p><p>I shook my head, because I realized that I was contemplating, which was not a good idea in the middle of Urshilaku territory. I quickly collected myself, and I was on my way. As I left the area, I looked back at that Dwemer ruin a few times.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some more independent adventuring. Meeting with Mistress Uvoo Llaren for the first time, and her profound effect on Alice. Curing a sick Ashlander and delivering some food to a hermit. An encounter with that mysterious outlander again. Killing in self-defense.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I went back to Foyada Bani-Dad, and climbed up the hill formed by the lava to arrive to the West Gash region. I walked to the nearby town, Khuul. Khuul was just a small fishing village, with a silt strider port and an eggmine. I went to the tradehouse, which was run by a Nord. I sold all the ingredients that I collected during my travels through the Ashlands, and rented a bed for the night. I decided that the next day, I would travel south, to Gnisis, and hunt on the way there.</p><p>A curious nightmare tormented me that night. I saw a beautiful young Dunmer woman, holding an infant to her breast. I went closer to them, and I noticed that the child was diseased. I couldn’t determine what kind of disease it was, it must have been some kind of blight disease. She was purple and bloated, and about to die. I wanted to help her and I searched my backpack for potions. I wanted to tell the mother my intention, but as I looked at her, I noticed that she was, in fact, a desiccated corpse. In that moment, they both crumbled to dust, and I awakened, sweating.</p><p>I went back to sleep, and luckily I cannot remember dreaming anything else that night. The next day, after my breakfast, I packed my things, and left Khuul to travel to Gnisis. I came across a river with a suspension bridge over it. I spotted a small boat on the river, with a few crates and a corpse lying on it. I decided to descend and investigate, hoping that there would be something useful or valuable in those crates.</p><p>I examined the corpse. He was a Nord man, and it seemed that he was killed by a wild animals. I saw scratches made by claws on his body. I had found some gold, a few bottles of flin and a couple of magical scrolls in the crates. I took them. There were also a few portions of moon sugar there, which I could identify thanks to my lessons in alchemy, as well as my previous career as a waitress in a tradehouse, where it was an open secret that some customers consumed that. However, I didn’t want any trouble, so I left that there. I noticed that there was a cave next to the boat. In that moment, it became clear to me: This person was a smuggler, and I stumbled upon his hideout. Since he was dead, I thought that I would investigate the cave as well, in order to find even more things.</p><p>I looked into the cave, and it seemed that there were docks inside for the boat. I didn’t want to get wet, so I rowed the boat inside. I stepped onto the docks, and it seemed that there was no one inside.</p><p>I had found a small storage room with even more crates and barrels. I couldn’t believe my luck. There were bottles of Cyrodillic Brandy, magical scrolls, gold and soul gems inside. I took it all, and decided to investigate the cave further. I spotted a couple of scamps, patrolling the cave. I could dispatch them relatively easily, with my enchanted mace and the bonemold armor protecting me. They scratched me a few times, but my healing potions helped with that. Were they the ones who killed the smuggler outside?</p><p>I arrived to an open space and I saw something terrifying there: corpses of naked smugglers, next to a cauldron. Some of the corpses were already gutted. Did these scamp want to eat them? An ogrim entered the room with the corpses. It was three times bigger than me. I immediately got down to the floor so that it wouldn’t spot me.</p><p>I decided to turn back, because there was no way I could have defeated such a monster and I thought that I could get a few hundred gold’s worth of loot already. I went back to the docks, and rowed the small boat out from the cave. I decided that I would report what I had seen to the Temple, when I arrived to Gnisis.</p><p>As I walked towards Gnisis, I hunted down a couple of kagouti and wild guars to sell their parts in Gnisis later. When I was just about to arrive to the town, I spotted a Redguard man on the road. He was wearing the uniform of the Imperial Legion, therefore I assumed that he was patrolling the roads. He addressed me, as I passed next to him:</p><p>– Hello, stranger. What? What the hell are you looking at? Get the hell out of here before I take your head off! All I want to do is catch some slaughterfish. Is that so wrong? Huh? You’re welcome!</p><p>– Catch some slaughterfish? – I replied. – Here, on dry land?</p><p>– Yes, slaughterfish! You’re not one, are you? Are you? No, I guess you’re not. I’m sorry…my mind has been a little muddled since I got bitten. Those fish pack quite a punch. Punch? Yes, please!</p><p>– You’ve got bitten? – I asked.</p><p>– I’m just having some problems concentrating since the slaughterfish bite. Having some problems controlling myself, too. You have a problem with that? Huh? Well? Sorry…I really need some help.</p><p>– Say no more. – I said. – You obviously caught some kind of disease from that slaughterfish, which makes you behave like this. I’m a healer. Drink this. – I handed over a potion to cure common disease to him, which he drank immediately.</p><p>– I…I…thank you. I’m not sure what happened. Everything is sort of hazy after that slaughterfish bite. Thank you so much for your help. I’d like to reward you for your generosity. I have very little, but please take this gold. – He said, and handed over a couple of gold pieces. – I must go back to Gnisis.</p><p>– You’re welcome. I’ll go with you. – I told him. We walked to Gnisis together. In Gnisis, we went to the Temple so that the healer, Mehra Drora, could examine him further. I reported what I had seen at the cave, and then I proceeded to the marketplace to sell my loot.</p><p>I could gain a couple hundreds of gold by selling all the booze, the soul gems and the scrolls. I understood that this gold could get me a couple of training sessions to become a better warrior, without the risk of running into an ogrim. I went home to Maar Gan, and used the gold for that purpose. I had spent the rest of the two weeks with training with the militia of Maar Gan and spending time with my friends at home and at the tradehouse.</p><p>It was time for me to report to duty at Ghostgate. I went to Ald-ruhn with the silt strider, and from there, I walked to Ghostgate, like last time. They told me that Mistress Uvoo Llaren was at the Temple of the fortress. In the Temple, there was indeed a Dunmer woman. She was beautiful. From her face, it could be determined that she was of noble birth, and she had long and wavy red hair. I was embarrassed in her presence.</p><p>– What brings you to the Temple? – She asked from me. Even her voice was pleasant to listen to.</p><p>– I’m Elisamsi, Acolyte of the Temple. They told me that you need healers.</p><p>– Indeed. They did tell me about your arrival already. – She said, with such grace in her voice that I wondered if she was actually a noblewoman from House Indoril. She smiled at me. How could they send such a delicate beauty to this Almsivi-forsaken place? – Your room will be in the Tower of Dusk, which is the western tower of Ghostgate.</p><p>– Thank you. How can I serve you, Mistress Llaren?</p><p>– Me? – She inquired, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>– The Temple.</p><p>– You have arrived at the right moment. You are an Ashlander, right? The outcast Ashlander, Assantus Hansar, has fallen ill. He was aggressive with every healer I have sent there, but he might accept medicine from one of his kind.</p><p>– Where is this Ashlander?</p><p>– He set up camp right to the south of Ghostgate.</p><p>I nodded and left her presence. I left Ghostgate, and I noticed that there was a blight storm raging outside. A blight storm was similar to an ash storm, however, the particles of ash were contaminated with the blight disease, and had an unnatural red color. Luckily, House Redoran, being exposed to this weather all the time, started to produce garment that protected the wearer from catching the disease. My mother’s helmet allowed me to breathe without inhaling the ash. I spotted the small outcast Ashlander camp to the south. I approached them. One of the Ashlanders immediately snapped at me:</p><p>– Leave me. I am diseased. I do not need your help. – I concluded that among them, this one was Assantus Hansar.</p><p>– I see you, brother. – I told him.</p><p>– Forgive me for my manners, sister. I thought that you are one of the servants of the false gods. I have Droops. I can barely move and I have no strength.</p><p>– Droops? – I asked. – Are you sure?</p><p>– Yes, but I am outcast. The Wise Women will not cure me.</p><p>– May I try to cure you? Here. – I gave a potion to him.</p><p>– Thanks. – He drank the potion, and we said goodbye to each other. I went back to Ghostgate, to report to Mistress Uvoo Llaren.</p><p>– Mistress Llaren, Assantus Hansar has been cured.</p><p>– Good work, Elisamsi. Take these potions in case you were infected as well. – She gave three potions to cure common disease to me, and then continued: – Now, I need someone to bring the hermit Sendas Sathis food and drink.</p><p>– Thank you very much for the potions, Mistress Llaren. I’d gladly deliver some food and drink to this hermit. – For some reason, I felt compelled to please this person.</p><p>– It’s good to see such an enthusiastic, young member of the Temple. – It felt good that she complimented me. – The hermit’s name is Sendas Sathis. He lives on Shuran Island between Sheogorad and Vvardenfell. Take a boat to Dagon Fel and then go towards Rotheran. Shuran Island is just west of Rotheran. – She handed over four bottles of mazte, and four small kwama eggs to me.</p><p>I travelled back to Ald-ruhn, and used the Mages’ Guild’s service to travel to Sadrith Mora. I took a boat to Dagon Fel from there. Dagon Fel was a fishing village, where the majority of residents were Nords. It would have been an insignificant fishing village, if it wasn’t built on the ruins of a Dwemer settlement. Among the shacks of the Nordic fishermen, I could see Dwemer towers. I figured that many adventurers would visit this settlement in order to steal Dwemer artifacts, if it wasn’t the Imperial Legion which patrolled the streets. I visited the local tavern to rent a room for the night, and I was on my way to Shuran Island to deliver the items for this hermit before nightfall.</p><p>The Sheogorad region was enchanting, with its hills and giant mushrooms growing next to the paths. Some people claimed that the region is called “Sheogorad” region, because it looked similar to the Shivering Isles, the daedric realm of Sheogorath, the prince of madness. The sun went down, so I hurried up to deliver the items, as I did not want to be attacked by wild creatures or bandits at night. I crossed the knee-deep water leading to Shuran Island, where I met with the hermit.</p><p>– Are you Sendas Sathis? – I asked. It was obviously a stupid question, as he was the only one living on the island.</p><p>– You’re here to deliver my food and drink, right?</p><p>– Yes. – I said, and opened my backpack. I handed over the items to him one by one.</p><p>– Kwama eggs again? – He protested.</p><p>I shrugged.</p><p>– Well, I should be thankful the Temple supports an old hermit like me. – He told me. I said goodbye to the old hermit, and hurried back to Dagon Fel. It was around midnight when I arrived. I had dinner at the tavern, and went to sleep. The next day, I traveled back to Sadrith Mora with the first ship. I used the same methods of transporting, as on my way there, and eventually I arrived to Ghostgate. I have spent the next couple of weeks at Ghostgate, healing pilgrims and the warriors of the Temple – Buoyant Armigers and Ordinators. I mostly dealt with the blight disease and wounds caused by wild animals and the minions of Dagoth Ur. My relationship with Uvoo Llaren was cordial, and she was satisfied with me.</p><p>One day, she wanted to see me. I approached her, and she addressed me:</p><p>– I think that the day you’ll become a priestess is near. You are diligent and enthusiastic and you perform your duties well. However, we could speed that process up, if you complete an outstanding deed. Many sacred relics of the Temple have been lost to the Sixth House. I want you to recover a relic that I believe is in Kogoruhn.</p><p>– Kogoruhn? Tell me more. – I told her.</p><p>– Kogoruhn is somewhere north of the northern boundary of the Ghostfence. It is closer to Maar Gan than Ghostgate. Give me your map, I’ll show it to you. – I did as I was asked, and she pointed at a location on it. – One of our valiant Ordinators, Feril Salmyn, went there to slay the Sixth House cultists dwelling there, and he wore the Hair Shirt of St. Aralor. He is presumed dead, but if you can find him alive or recover the Hair Shirt of St. Aralor, the Temple would be grateful. If you can also recover his valuable Indoril armor, that would be even better.</p><p>– Mistress Llaren. I don’t know if I would be able to do this, but I’ll try. – I told her.</p><p>– Here, take this. – She handed over a scroll to me. – It’s a scroll of Almsivi Intervention. Just go there, recover the items and read this scroll. It should take you back to Ald-Ruhn. You don’t need to fight the monsters.</p><p>I went back to Maar Gan, and spent the night there. I prepared a couple of potions at home, and the next morning I was on my way. I went back to Foyada Bani-Dad, through which I entered Urshilaku territory again.</p><p>As I passed next to the Urshilaku Camp (which once again, I took care not to enter) I saw that somebody was leaving to the east. It wasn’t an Ashlander, but an outlander. I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was the same outlander I had seen with Hassour Zainsubani, the Ashlander in Ald-ruhn. Who was this mysterious person? What was this fascination with Ashlanders?</p><p>They spotted me, and approached me, running. They drew their dagger. I drew my mother’s mace from my side, but before I could realize, the dagger was at my throat:</p><p>– Drop that mace. – I did as I was asked. – Who are you, girl? Who are you working for? – They demanded.</p><p>– I’m not working for anyone! I’m on my way to Kogoruhn.</p><p>– Kogoruhn? I’m on my way there too. But you had no way of knowing that. – They lowered their dagger. I picked up the mace. – I’m sorry. A lot of people want to harm me. What’s your name?</p><p>– Elisamsi. And yours?</p><p>– It’s none of your business. Why are you going to Kogoruhn?</p><p>– To recover an item. The Hair Shirt of St. Aralor.</p><p>– The Hair Shirt of St. Aralor? – They chuckled. – All right, you tell the truth, you couldn’t possibly have made that up. Hair Shirt of St. Aralor, how ridiculous. Look, we can go together. I have business there too.</p><p>I nodded, and I followed the lead of this stranger. Because of the helmet, they couldn’t realize that they had seen me back in Ald-ruhn. I preferred to keep it that way. With the outlander being so paranoid, they might have assumed that I’m following them intentionally. We walked together to Kogoruhn, and we arrived relatively quickly, as the outlander knew the way better than me. An ash storm darkened the sky, and it was pitch black, in spite of not being night yet.</p><p>We arrived to Kogoruhn. It was an ancient Dunmer fortress, with the ruins of a small settlement around it.</p><p>– Do you know what happened here? – The outlander asked. I shook my head.</p><p>– This settlement was the glorious capital of House Dagoth. After the Battle of Red Mountain, the Tribunal came here with an army of Ordinators, and they slaughtered everyone. Even the children.</p><p>– What? The Tribunal could never… where did you hear that? – I protested in disbelief.</p><p>– Never mind. You go ahead. I have to enter this hut. – They pointed at one of the huts, and entered.</p><p>I looked around at the site, searching for a fallen Ordinator. Eventually, I spotted him, and approached. In that moment, a Dunmer rushed at me. “You n’wah!”- He yelled. He was naked, with a club in his hand. He must have been a lunatic, being naked in the middle of the Ashlands. I instinctively blocked his first attack with the shield, but he was ready to attack me again.</p><p>– Please! Don’t! – I screamed.</p><p>He kept attacking me, and I could barely block his hits.</p><p>– I don’t want to do this! – I begged. But he hit me with his club, and I could not block his attack this time. The spikes of the club pierced through my armor and my flesh.</p><p>– Please. Stop. – I made one last attempt, but he was about to raise his club once again, ignoring my request.</p><p>I raised my mother’s mace, and hit the mer. The mace broke his skull and he fell to the ground, dead. I didn’t believe to my eyes. I just killed a mer.</p><p>– No, no, no! – I begged, and I knelt before the corpse to see whether I could save him. But it was too late. – No!</p><p>I started crying, hysterically. In that moment, out of nowhere, a ghost appeared, ready to attack me. “It it the ghost of this fallen mer, wanting to have revenge on me?” – I though.</p><p>– Ancestor, please forgive me! It was self-defense! – I pleaded. The outlander left the hut, and rushed towards the ghost. They dispatched of it, and the ghost turned to dust.</p><p>– Thank you. – I told them, as soon as I was able to catch my breath.</p><p>– Are you coming in? – They asked, and pointed at the fortress.</p><p>I shook my head, and the outlander shrugged and entered. I gathered the Indoril armor of the fallen Ordinator, and the Hair Shirt of St. Aralor. I said the words on the Almsivi Intervention scroll and got teleported back to Ald-ruhn. The city was busy with life, as usual, but I felt that everything was silent and everybody was judging me for killing a person.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice laments that she had to kill in self-defense. Training with Shardie, and learning about Western animals called “wolves” and “sheep.” Joining the Ordinators to redeem herself, and use her ability to kill for protecting the innocent.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Master Tuls Valen offered me the opportunity to borrow one of the guars of the Ald-ruhn Temple, to be able to bring the set of Indoril armor back to Ghostgate without much difficulty. However, when I pointed it out that it wouldn’t be a good idea, due to my uneasy relationship with animals, we agreed that I could leave the armor at the Ald-ruhn Temple, and they would return it to House Indoril later. This development saved me both the trouble of having to carry that armor back to Ghostgate or having to endure a guar that I wouldn’t be able to control, due to the fact that it would be too frightened, or possibly behave in an aggressive manner in my presence.</p><p>I traveled back to Ghostgate on my own. I felt as if even nature judged me for what I had done back at Kogoruhn. I felt that all the animals around me were silent, even the cliff racers, as if they were observing me silently, and comparing me in their minds to an outcast with a lethal disease. A thought occurred to me: I bashed the skull of that person. Why? I defended myself, but why did I have to hit him in a place which would cause his death? Why I couldn’t hit him somewhere else and scare him away or make him yield? But would he have yielded to me, or run away? I wasn’t sure. He was clearly a lunatic, living in the middle of the Ashlands, without any clothes on.</p><p>At Ghostgate, I approached Mistress Uvoo Llaren at the Temple of the fortress.</p><p>– Feril Salmyn is dead, Mistress. But I could recover the artifact, as well as his armor. – I handed over the shirt. – The armor is at the Ald-ruhn Temple, as I couldn’t carry it here.</p><p>– His death is unfortunate, but at least the relic has been returned. – She said. – You have done well. But I sense that something is bothering you…</p><p>– I… killed somebody to acquire the items.</p><p>– Why?</p><p>– He attacked me.</p><p>– Self-defense is legal, Elisamsi. Who was this person?</p><p>– I don’t know. A lunatic. He was naked.</p><p>– Was his skin deformed? Did he look sick?</p><p>– I don’t know, Mistress. It happened so quick… – I couldn’t control myself, and I embarrassed myself in the presence of Uvoo Llaren by sobbing. – I didn’t need to kill him, it wasn’t self-defense. I hit his head with my mace. Why did I do that?</p><p>In that moment, something happened which I would have never expected from a Temple priestess, or an Indoril noblewoman, which I believed Mistress Uvoo Llaren was. She embraced me. As I spent several long moments in her arms, I imagined that I’m in the embrace of my own mother, whom I never had the opportunity to meet, instead of in the arms of my superior both in Temple hierarchy and in Dunmer society.</p><p>– Thank you, Mistress Llaren. – I said, as I tried to collect myself. She didn’t hurry to be the first one to get out from the embrace, but I released her in a few minutes, because I didn’t find it appropriate to be in such a position with a Temple Mistress, and possibly Indoril noblewoman.</p><p>– All I can say is that you haven’t done anything bad. In fact, you completed your duties, which should earn you a promotion. But it’s not the appropriate time to talk about that. Go home, take a week off if you want. Cry if you must. But when you’re ready, visit two persons. One of them is Shardie, a legionnaire at Fort Buckmoth. She is an outlander, but honorable. I think that you need some lessons to be better at self-defense, and no one can handle a shield better than her. After that, visit my another friend, Elam Andas in Vivec. He is an Ordinator, but not like most of them. He is from an old Redoran family. He’ll tell you everything about that person that you killed, and then you’ll see that you have done well.</p><p>I went to my room at the Tower of Dusk, and collected my things and headed home. My next week at Maar Gan was terrible. I could barely sleep at night, as I was constantly thinking about what I had done. Even when I managed to get some sleep, I had nightmares, in which I relived that moment again and again. I didn’t have any appetite, and I spent most of my time in my hut, crying, instead of being with my friends at the Andus Tradehouse. Sometimes I prayed to Almsivi for forgiveness. I wanted to occupy myself by doing chores around the house or going out to hunt, but I just didn’t have any motivation to start.</p><p>I couldn’t bear it for much longer, so I decided that I would visit the people that Uvoo Llaren requested. I went to Ald-ruhn, and approached Fort Buckmoth. The fort looked similar to Fort Moonmoth, next to Balmora. Perhaps it was my mood which made me think that, but it felt like the whole Empire was one series of mass produced entities. The same forts made from the same stones, the same uniforms, and as if under those helmets, even all the legionnaires were the same person – some fool from Cyrodiil who was promised a decent pension and a plot of land, a sense of being a useful citizen, but what he got was wasting decades of his youth, living in a barracks and following orders, and the thought that when he died, no one would mourn, they would just replace him with somebody else. One of these soldiers told me where can I find Shardie. Shardie was a female Redguard, and a drill sergeant who was in the middle of training soldiers. I observed her giving orders to the young Imperial men, and when the session was over, I finally approached her.</p><p>– Good day to you, Redguard. My name is Elisamsi. I was sent by Mistress Uvoo Llaren from the Temple.</p><p>– Ah! She told me about you. She already paid me to give you a lesson in using the shield, and another lesson about a different topic. – I blushed, thinking that Mistress Llaren would go as far as paying for my training. I was deeply embarrassed by the kindness of this woman. – Let’s start with using a shield. Get ready.</p><p>I did as she told me. I drew my weapon and my shield.</p><p>– Now… – she started – Using a shield is all about anticipating the moves of your opponent, before they make them. The proper way to battle is defending yourself and only striking at the right moment… – She explained. We spent a couple of hours following that with practice. I had picked up a few good tricks. When the session was over, she addressed me:</p><p>– I have promised Uvoo to teach you something else. Are you are a sheep, a wolf, or a sheepdog?</p><p>– A what or a what? – I asked, as she uttered those words that I had never heard before that moment.</p><p>– A sheep is a defenseless herd animal in the West. Most citizens are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident or extreme provocation. But sheep live in denial, which is what makes them sheep. They do not want to believe that there is evil in the world. The idea of a wolf coming to kill or harm them or their child is just too hard, and so they chose the path of denial. But there is no safety in denial.</p><p>Did she compare me to that herd animal at the West? I was intrigued to hear more, so I didn’t comment anything, I just listened to her. She went on:</p><p>– Wolves are predators found in the West. The wolves feed on the sheep without mercy – unless stopped by a sheepdog. There are evil people in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens you are a wolf. Some are afraid of the sheepdogs and hide among the sheep, but given the chance they will feed on the sheep.</p><p>– And what are sheepdogs? – I inquired.</p><p>– They are domesticated predators of the West. They live to protect the sheep and confront the wolf. If you have a capacity for violence and yet a deep love for your fellow citizens you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero’s path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness and walk out unscathed.</p><p>– Are you suggesting that I should use my ability to harm others to protect those who cannot do it themselves?</p><p>– I’m not suggesting anything. Uvoo told me to tell this story of mine to you. Why? It’s none of my business. But probably it had a reason. – She shrugged, and excused herself from my presence. In a few moments, she started practicing with her shield and weapon again, like our conversation never took place.</p><p>As I was leaving the fort, I contemplated on her words. I remembered how a couple of months ago, I was just a sheep. How I had to run away from an alit, and how scared I was that the Nord man would push me against the ground and use me for his pleasure. I had learned a lot since then, and even though I wasn’t a hero, or a great warrior yet, I could defend myself against that lunatic at Kogoruhn. Mistress Llaren’s lesson for me was clear. Using violence can be justified, especially if I can protect others from harm, those ordinary citizens that have to run away from an alit, or wouldn’t be able to do anything against a violent Nord. But was that a “wolf” at Kogoruhn? I was eager to learn that, so I headed to Vivec immediately, to talk with that friend of Mistress Llaren. I used the Mages’ Guild service to teleport there. The city was still somewhat confusing for me, but I noticed that every time I entered, I could reach my destination easier than previously. I headed to the Temple canton, where a priest told me that Elam Andas was the captain of the Order of the Watch – the group of Ordinators responsible for the safety of Vivec city. I knocked at the door of his office, and a handsome Dunmer opened the door. He was clearly a noblemer, as Mistress Llaren pointed it out, from House Redoran. He smiled at me, and started to speak, as he invited me inside:</p><p>– Don’t say a word. Elisamsi. Uvoo already sent word. When I looked at you, I knew that you must be Elisamsi. Not a lot of blonde Dunmer around. I’m Elam Andas, from the Redoran Andas family. My brother was the lord of Andasreth.</p><p>– Greetings, sera. Then I assume I don’t need to introduce myself. – I noticed that I smiled in the presence of this pleasant mer for a brief fragment of a moment, for the first time in the last week. We entered his office, and he pointed at a chair, to sit down. There was another Ordinator inside, doing some kind of paperwork. He nodded at me and immediately went back to work.</p><p>– I have a task for you, and then I’ll tell you everything about that person at Kogoruhn. – Elam Andas said.</p><p>– I’m always ready to serve the Temple, sera. – I told him.</p><p>– Talk with Moroni Uvelas. She is a fishmonger at the St. Olms Canton. Her husband is missing. Your task is to find her husband. Do this, and you’ll understand everything.</p><p>With the help of some citizens who gave me directions, I found the St. Olms Canton eventually. I learned that Moroni Uvelas worked at the Brewers and Fishmongers Hall. I entered, and addressed the Dunmer woman behind the counter:</p><p>– My name is Elisamsi, from the Temple. I’m here to find your husband.</p><p>– Thank you, Elisamsi. I’m glad that they’ve sent someone. He is missing again. It happens with him. See, he has a problem with skooma, although he swears he’s been trying to stop. Last time he disappeared it was for days, and when he came back, he didn’t look so good. Danar and his no-good friends sometimes take to the Underworks near here when they’ve got some skooma. You might find him down there.</p><p>I nodded, and left the shop. I wasn’t particularly happy that I would have to go down to the Underworks, but I understood that serving Almsivi may sometimes require doing unpleasant things like that. As I walked through the canton, I overheard two Dunmer talking with each other:</p><p>– They say that somebody broke into the Ministry of Truth. They knocked a guard out and freed a prisoner inside.</p><p>– Silence! Do you want to end up there too?</p><p>– It’s an open secret. They can deny it all they want.</p><p>People start rumors all the time, especially if they are drunk. I listened to a fair share of them as a waitress, so I wasn’t particularly interested when I heard this one. It might have been true or might have been a lie. Most likely the latter. I descended to the Canalworks, and used the ladder to enter the Underworks. It was dark down there, and the stench was unbearable. I looked around, but I couldn’t find anything else, besides a few rats. I entered one of the tunnels which connected the two sides of the canal. I heard groaning, and suddenly spotted a creature which looked like undead. However, in spite of the dark, I could spot that its skin was different: It was like the skin of Tanusea Veloth. It was a Corprus monster!</p><p>For a brief second, it seemed that it wanted to tear its own skin off. It looked into my eyes, and I felt that I could read its thoughts: “Free me! Relieve me of this pain.” Then it attacked me. I was careful not to get hit by it under any circumstances. The lesson of Shardie came to my mind, and I blocked its attacks with my shield, before I was able to kill it. I survived the encounter, and sighed out of relief. I spotted a ring on one of the bloated fingers of the creature, it had the word “Uvelas” engraved into it. I understood exactly what it meant: This was what remained of that poor Dunmer’s husband. I really wanted to take that off and return it to the widow, but I couldn’t risk infection by touching it, and I didn’t have any piece of rag around that I could spare to take it off with – and even if I could manage to take it off with a rag, the ring might have still carried the disease, thus I couldn’t just hand it over to the woman. I decided to leave the carcass there and report back to Elam Andas instead. Before I wanted to enter the office, to my surprise, the same procedure awaited me as when I dealt with Tanusea Veloth. A healer examined me to see whether I have the Corprus Disease. Did Andas know about the fate of this mer? When it was revealed that I was healthy and I could enter the office finally, he spoke to me:</p><p>– Great job, Elisamsi. I’ll send out a priest to take care of the carcass in a safe manner and inform the widow about the sad news. Now, do you know how Corprus monsters come to be?</p><p>– Thank you, sera. They catch the Corprus disease and transform, right?</p><p>– Yes. But how do they catch it? Some catch it by chance, like with any disease. Others infect themselves on purpose. The Sixth House cult recruits potential new members among the most unfortunate. Beggars, skooma addicts and the like. They offer them a sense of belonging and a regular meal. Then they start brainwashing them. They leave their families and professions behind to follow the cult. And eventually, they infect them.</p><p>I listened to his words in silence.</p><p>– Corprus victims get mad. They listen to the insane dreams sent by Dagoth Ur. We call these people “Dreamers.” They tear their clothes off and walk around naked, because they cannot bear the pain caused by their clothes on their bloated bodies. They eat their own, transformed flesh and wait until they transform into Corprus monsters. Until then, they are tasked with killing everyone on sight who threatens the Sixth House.</p><p>He stopped for a moment, and then continued:</p><p>– Or recruiting new members from the underclass, to follow their footsteps.</p><p>– Sheep. – I said.</p><p>– What was that? – He inquired.</p><p>– Nothing. I see what you mean. I have saved the person that I killed from the fate of becoming a Corprus Monster. And possibly others too. – He smiled, probably feeling glad that I could understand.</p><p>– Yes, that’s why I sent you on this task. When Uvoo sent that letter to me, I just wanted to explain it to you, but then this situation developed, and I thought that it would be perfect if you handled it. Now, you understand everything.</p><p>– I do. I’m grateful for you. And Mistress Uvoo.</p><p>– Uvoo considers you to be a diligent student who performs her duties well. With the completion of this task, and the recovery of the artifact, you clearly deserve the Adept rank in the Temple. Congratulations!</p><p>– Does that mean that I’m a priestess now? – I inquired.</p><p>– No. Uvoo wants something different for you. And I agree with her. We’ve got a few items from the Ald-ruhn Temple, and I want you to have them. – He proceeded to open a chest next to his desk. Inside the desk there was a set of Indoril armor. In a few seconds it dawned on me that it was the armor of the fallen Ordinator from Kogoruhn, that’s why he said that it was from the Ald-ruhn Temple. That’s where I left it.</p><p>– You can’t be serious. – I protested.</p><p>– Are you denying Mistress Llaren’s request? – He demanded.</p><p>– No, of course not, sera. But I’m not the best for this job.</p><p>– We think that you are. You are a capable enough warrior, and more importantly, not a mindless killer. You can think with your head, and you’re careful about raising your mace. I think that you would be a great asset to our organization. And we’ll teach you the rest.</p><p>– Very well. I’ll do it, because I owe this much to Mistress Llaren. I’ll be a sheepdog.</p><p>– What’s that?</p><p>– Never mind, sera. Never mind.</p><p>– Then put on your new armor. Don’t worry, it has been cleansed from our fallen brother’s blood. – He told me, and he was courteous enough to leave the room with his colleague while I removed my mother’s bonemold armor and put on my new Indoril armor.</p><p>When I finished putting it on, we discussed the mundane details of my new job, such as my salary – which was significantly larger than anything I had ever earned in the Temple, or when would I have to report for training in the upcoming weeks, and where would I sleep. After that, Elam Andas informed me that among Ordinators, it was a custom to swear an oath to our weapon of choice, which in my case was a mace. He asked the other Ordinator to stop the paperwork and listen instead, so that I could take the oath before two witnesses. I had to hold my mother’s mace in my hand, and I had repeat the words after Andas, which I still remember, even up to this day:</p><p>“This is my mace. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My mace is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my mace is useless. Without my mace, I am useless. I must swing my mace true. I must hit stronger than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must kill him before he kills me. I shall keep my mace clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We shall become part of each other. Before Almsivi, I swear this oath. My mace and myself shall be defenders of the faith. We shall be the masters of our enemy. We shall be the saviors of life. So be it, until there is no enemy, but peace. Or until death takes me.”</p><p>I put my mace away. From that day onward, I was an Ordinator. I stood in the middle of Elam Andas’ office, perhaps a bit awkwardly in my new armor, and I wondered what the future had in store for me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice’s months of training as an Ordinator. Her first job of clearing out a Daedric shrine. Alice being a naughty girl, and taking the heretical books found in the Daedric shrine instead of burning them.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the next two and a half months, my transformation from Alice to an Ordinator took place. I was issued two set of plain clothes, which had to be kept in the chest next to my bed. Besides these, I could keep my weapon, and naturally, the Indoril armor. Everything else, including all my gold was confiscated from me temporarily. They didn’t make me cut my hair, but gave me a pin, and I was compelled to wear my hair in the bun hairstyle all the time. My job was following orders in every hour of the day, and only sleep when I was permitted to, in my bed among dozens of other Ordinator trainees in the barracks. They still paid me my salary, but instead of receiving the gold, I got a statement that they would pay the amount to me after the end of the two and a half months.</p><p>Every day, we had to wake up at 5 am. In half an hour we had to clean the barracks and make our beds, and dress up. We had to line up in formation outside, and the drillmaster conducted a roll call. That drillmaster was Ernse Llervu, whom I had the opportunity to meet previously. Following that, we had a short prayer. In the next hour, we had the opportunity to conduct personal hygiene in the waters near Vivec, and to have breakfast together. At that point, it was 7 am. From 7 am to 8 pm we had to train. We only had one hour free time to do whatever we wanted, because from 9 pm we were compelled to sleep until the next day. That one hour of free time wasn’t really free time either, as it was mostly spent with doing necessary things, such as polishing our armor and weapons, praying, or doing our laundry, but exceptionally one could write a letter home, or read a chapter of a book. (The only books that we were allowed to read were naturally the ones approved by the Library of Vivec.)</p><p>The first three weeks were rather theoretical than practical. We had a minimum amount of physical training, mostly standing in formations, marching, and holding our weapons in a specific manner when an order was uttered and keeping it like that without making any sound or making any movements until the next order. The point of this part was to make us understand that we must blindly follow the orders of our superiors, as for the slightest mistake we were punished, in a collective manner. The majority of the day was spent in a classroom, however. We learned the history of the Ordinators and our values, as well as the structure of the organization. It turned out, that our organization was established after the Battle of Red Mountain. The first Ordinators were fanatical followers of Almsivi, who marched to Kogoruhn to defeat the traitors of Morrowind, for they sided with the Dwemer. The stranger whom I had met there told me the same story, with the only difference that according to them, the Ordinators performed a genocide, and killed everyone there, including the children. The Temple priests told us that they defeated the House Dagoth army, and disbanded Great House Dagoth, but the members were given the opportunity to choose another House to serve. Naturally, I dared not to ask about that from the priest who taught us. As far as the structure was concerned, we learned that there were four branches of the Ordinators. The first one was the Order of the Watch. The Order of the Watch consisted of guards, who kept the peace in Vivec City and other Temple settlements. Mostly they’ve only dealt with thieves and brawls in the taverns, like any guards, therefore most of the Ordinator after the first two and a half months of training started in this order. The Order of War consisted of crusaders who fought against the enemies of Almsivi, such as the Sixth House Cult or Daedric cultists. As many from this order died, and because new recruits started in the Order of the Watch, it was relatively easy for one from the Watch to be reassigned to the Order of War. It was harder to get into the Order of Inquisition, in fact, one couldn’t simply request to serve there, the leadership of that order offered the opportunity for worthy candidates in a very secretive manner which was never explained to us. The Order of Inquisition suppressed heresy among the citizens and the clergy, and their work required additional skills besides being able to fight with a weapon, such as picking locks to gather evidence from homes. The fourth Order was the Order of Doctrine and Ordination, which consisted of scholars, Indoril nobles, and old Ordinators, who were unable to work in any of the three other orders. These veteran Ordinators were responsible for passing our knowledge on to new members. In the first three weeks we had learned from many of them.</p><p>In this period, we also had to learn about Temple Law, which we were expected to uphold in addition to Imperial Law. Such laws were that no one else outside the Ordinators and House Indoril, and high ranking Temple members were allowed to wear Indoril armor. If we spotted somebody else wearing it, we had to punish them with death. The rest of Temple Law consisted of the laws of our faith in general. (When to pray, how many times, what to eat etc.) However, while among civilians at other settlements, it was up to each individual’s conscience to keep those laws, in Vivec City, we had to enforce them and compel every citizen to observe these laws, at least if they desired to stay within the boundaries of the city. We briefly learned about the various heretical cults too, such as Daedric worship, so that we would know our enemies.</p><p>As this first period was mostly about making us Ordinators, instead of individual Dunmer beings, they made us feel like that we were always watched. Sometimes it happened that the drillmaster woke us up at 2 am to inspect our barracks. The only point of this was to make us understand that we were never free, not even in our sleep.</p><p>The next two weeks was rather practical than theoretical. We had to wear our Indoril armor all the time. We fought a lot with our weapon of choice, in pairs, against each other. There was shield training too, when one of us had to attack and the other one was only allowed to block those attacks with a shield. We marched, and had to run in our armor too. One day, we had to run 50 kilometers, as it was expected from us to endure it, and the only reason that was allowed to us to stop was collapsing from exhaustion. There were also countless push ups and sit ups that we had to do. I believe that I had to do more than most of my comrades, as I remember that the number of times I heard the drillmaster yelling “Elisamsi, drop and give me twenty” was high. It happened more frequently than in the previous phase that they woke us up in the middle of the night, but this time it was not for inspections, but to actually go out to the wilderness in the night and run or do some kind of other exercise, so that we could get used to the fact that sometimes we would have to go in emergency situations too.</p><p>The next four weeks were similar to the previous one, but with one addition: We had to work in teams more frequently, so that we would learn that after all, we are a brotherhood of mer, working for a common goal, and not just individual crusaders.</p><p>Then came the last week, half of which went as usually, with more training. In the next two days, I had to complete a series of tests to make sure that I was ready to be an Ordinator. It seemed that the excessive training indeed had a profound effect on me, as I was deemed a capable enough warrior, one who was fit for duty as an Ordinator. Only after these tests did they give me my first day off, after two and a half months. If I had any friends in Vivec, I could have spent that day with them, but I have chosen to relax instead. On the last day, we were assigned to one of the orders of the Ordinators, and got back the items that were confiscated from us, as well as all the salary that they withheld from us. The most skilled warriors among us were immediately assigned into the Order of War, while some highly intelligent ones, as well as some Indoril nobles who followed a family tradition by joining the Ordinators, into the Order of Doctrine and Ordination. No one was assigned into the Order of Inquisition, and even if some of us were, it must have happened in secret later, without the rest of us knowing. The majority of us, however was assigned into the Order of the Watch, including me. On that cold winter day, Morning Star, 3E 428, I could finally begin my duties as an Ordinator.</p><p>However, it didn’t mean that my training ended there. In fact, I still had to dedicate twelve hours of the day to the Ordinators in the next month, eight of which was spent with guard duty, and four of which was spent with the same training as previously. This brief period in the Order of the Watch was without anything significant happening, as I mostly had to intervene in taverns when people wanted to brawl or give directions to the various places inside the city. It turned out that I would be reassigned into the Order of War too, and my place in the Watch would be taken by a new recruit after the month ended. In class, we learned that usually one spends at least a year in the Watch, before a new recruit takes his place. It seemed to me that something was wrong with the Ordinators, and that we were living in days full of trouble as they trained a lot more recruits those days, and also possibly many of them died on holy missions, and as a result I only had to spend one month in the Watch. The only event that I want to mention from this period was that a rumor had started to spread in Vivec. According to this rumor, a person claiming to be the Nerevarine managed to gain the loyalty of some of the Ashlander tribes in the wastes, and they actually recognized them as the Nerevarine, but other tribes were still opposing them. It was also said that the Temple was investigating this person and their claims. People feared that this person might gain an army of Ashlanders and they would raid settlements, defying the Tribunal’s will. Notices issued by the Temple were set up on the walls and in the taverns so that they could catch this heretic and try them. As a Watch guard, I also had to put up several of those.</p><p>As a Watch guard, every week I had one day off, which I insisted on spending in Maar Gan, even if (despite the Mages’ Guild’s service) it took me several hours to travel there. I just missed my home. At least I could enjoy those days off better, as my salary was significantly higher than when I was a mere student in the Temple. When I was off-duty, I spent my money in the shop of the Vivec clothier, Agrippina Herennia. The Temple honored the service of the Ordinators so much, that I could afford to buy several sets of clothes that were fit for a noblewoman. Another shop that I liked was the bookshop of Jobasha. The Khajit had a huge selection with many interesting titles, therefore it was made sure that I would always have entertainment, and I could notice that some of those books also offered me practical knowledge that I could utilize in life. There was one particular title that I bought from him which I still remember: It was called The Progress of Truth. I didn’t know what it was about when I bought it, but the title appealed to me.</p><p>When I was transferred to the Order of War, the same 12 hours of work was expected from me. However, since the Order of War – unlike the Watch guards – only did actual work when they were needed, most of those hours were spent with more and more combat training. After a couple of days in my new order, I was informed to report to actual duty. Most of the actions performed by the Order of War were done in teams, so that we could actually stand a chance against the many enemies of the Tribunal. However, we were expected to report to duty individually, and meet with a handful of our hundreds of comrades at a given location. The reason for this was that we would not know the identity of the people we were working with. We were forbidden to remove our helmets in their presence too, until the job was done. We were even given code names to communicate with each other, without revealing our identity. Why was this necessary? In case some of us would get captured, or an enemy managed to flee. We wanted to prevent blackmail through our loved ones. In addition, we ceased to be individuals, we were Ordinators. It wasn’t Alice who fought against the enemies of the Temple, but one of the several Ordinators. And no one from my comrades knew either that they were working with Alice in a given mission, they were working with a code name – a color, a number, the name of a long-dead Temple hero, and similar. The messenger told me to report to the Temple priest at the High Fane, Endryn Llethan. I was certain that he did not remember me from our previous encounter. My fellow Ordinators allowed me into the fortress after stating my business there, and I addressed the mer:</p><p>– Serjo Llethan, Adept Elisamsi from the Order of War. Reporting for duty, Serjo.</p><p>– You are the last one. The rest of the team is already waiting for you at the bridge leading out from Vivec at the Telvanni canton. Your code name for this mission is Serjo Black. Your teammates are Serjo Blue, Serjo Brown, Serjo Red. Your leader is Serjo White. Your mission is to clear out the Daedric shrine of Ald Sotha, next to Vivec. It is a disgrace that Daedric cultists could operate so near to our holy city. Go to the site, Serjo White will tell you the details.</p><p>I nodded and headed to the bridge leading out from the city at the Telvanni canton. After months in this city, finally I could manage to navigate through it with ease, and I did not get lost. Near the bridge, a group of Ordinators were hanging around, waiting for me. I approached the one with the more ornate armor than the rest.</p><p>– Serjo White? I’m Serjo Black.</p><p>– You’re finally here, Serjo Black. Take these healing potions. – He told me, and handed over four healing potions, which I put into my backpack. – All right, everyone! Line formation! – He uttered the command. We stood in a line before Serjo White. – We have two tasks: Killing the Mehrunes Dagon cultists in Ald Sotha, and retrieving a Temple relic they managed to acquire: The Shoes of St. Rilms. We learned that according to the priest’s vision, the shoes are in a chest, behind the statue of Mehrunes Dagon. Any questions?</p><p> </p><p>We remained silent.</p><p>– Very well. Follow me then. – We followed Serjo White. We just had to follow the roads to the north. As we were walking behind the mer, a Dunmer approached us. He seemed to be a wealthy merchant. He addressed us, with desperation in his voice:</p><p>– Thank Vivec you’re here! My former guards just ran off and stole all my goods!</p><p>We had to follow Serjo White’s orders, so we remained silent and walked past the Dunmer. However, he continued bothering us:</p><p>– A whole shipment of raw glass! Please help me!</p><p>In that moment, Serjo White, with the solemnity that had to be expected from an Ordinator warned him:</p><p>– Interference with official Order of War business is punishable by reeducation in the Ministry of Truth. Move along! – We continued on our way, as the Dunmer we had left behind started to murmur things like “s’wits” “that’s why I pay taxes to the Temple.”</p><p>Serjo White stopped for a second.</p><p>– Serjo Blue!</p><p>– Sera? – The Ordinator asked.</p><p>– When we return to Vivec, make me remember to report this mer to the Watch. Let them send a guard to help him.</p><p>– Sera, yes, sera!</p><p>We continued to Ald Sotha, and after about 15 minutes, arrived. The Daedric shrine looked both archaic and alien. It felt like a fraction of Oblivion had actually descended here. The way the walls and the remnants of the buildings were arranged was surreal, and twisted, something that cannot possibly be understood by mortal logic. I felt the presence of evil in my guts. I thought that if it wanted, this place would be able to alter the laws of our world and either create sinister, evil things or turn otherwise normal things into their sinister and evil variants. But as an Ordinator, it was my job to overcome such feelings, so that the citizens would be safe.</p><p>– Serjo Red! Look for an entrance into the shrine. If there’s anything wrong, shout. The rest of you, stay with me. – Serjo White ordered.</p><p>A few minutes later, the Ordinator returned.</p><p>– Sera, the site seems safe. No sign of Daedric activity. There is one entrance into the shrine, at the bay.</p><p>Serjo White waved to us to follow him, and in a few moments, we stood before the door leading into the shrine.</p><p>– Serjo Black, you open the door and get out of the way. Serjo Brown, in that moment, you read the scroll. The rest of you draw your weapons. – They did as they were asked, and Serjo Brown stood before the door, with a magical scroll in his hand. I used all my strength to open the ancient Daedric door, and quickly stepped aside.</p><p>– Woe upon you! – Serjo Brown yelled, and some kind of magical flame started to fly towards the opened door. I glanced at it, and it seemed that it expanded in every direction inside the shrine. A few moments later, a male Imperial ran out from the shrine, crying in pain and slowly burning to death. The Ordinators were not stupid and had several centuries of combat experience. A building with narrow halls such as a Daedric shrine was perfect for an ambush. It seemed that this time, a Daedric cultist thought like that too, but he didn’t know that Ordinators are hard to ambush, and that we would rather sacrifice a magical scroll than a comrade. Following this, Serjo White waved to us, and we stormed the place. We stood inside the shrine, and it seemed that there were three stairs before us, leading to three different locations.</p><p>– Mostly it’s the middle stairs that lead us on and the other two are leading to a dead-end. But we don’t want to walk into a trap or leave any of the scum behind us. – Serjo White explained. – Serjo Black, Serjo Red. Left stairs. Serjo Blue, you follow me to the right. Serjo Brown, stay here and guard this place.</p><p>At this point, the cultists were probably alerted of our presence, so we rushed down the stairs. The months of physical training in Indoril armor paid off. The stairs indeed led us into a dead-end. It was a room, with seemingly no other entry points. Inside, another Daedric cultist- a female Dunmer – and a Dremora waited for us. Without saying a word, Serjo Red attacked the cultist, so the Dremora remained for me. I felt that the training actually had a profound effect on me, as I was more than a match for the creature, even without any blessing on me, like in the case of the Maar Gan shrine pilgrimage. However, when I was just about to banish it back to Oblivion, an unexpected thing happened: As I hit the Dremora with the mace, the mace broke.</p><p>Even though I maintained my mother’s mace as well as I could, it was a weapon older than me, and the last couple of months of extensive usage took a tool on its already less than adequate condition. While a skillful smith would have been able to mend a broken weapon, obviously in that particular situation that wasn’t an option for me. Not only I wasn’t a skillful smith, I also couldn’t just tell the Dremora to stop the combat and allow me to take a repair hammer out – (which I didn’t have anyway, why would anyone carry such a thing around, when it can only be used at a forge?) and repair the mace. I dropped the piece of the mace which remained in my hand, and I bashed the Dremora with my shield to stagger it and gain two seconds of time. I quickly took my dagger out. I was never trained to do combat with it, it was part of Ordinator equipment for other purposes, such as opening locked chests, or cutting knots on ropes. But my only chance was that. I must have been favored by Sotha Sil, because Serjo Red just killed the cultist in combat, and he was ready to turn against the Dremora. He managed to bash its skull from behind, while the creature paid attention to me. The Dremora turned into dust, which signified that it was banished from this realm.</p><p>– Damnit, Serjo Black! What happened? Take that Dremora’s mace. – It was a Dwarven mace, which it held. Even though possessing Dwarven artifacts was forbidden by Imperial Law, a relatively large amount of citizens had Dwarven weapons and armor, which may have meant that the Empire’s grip on our country lessened. Even though Ordinators were required to uphold Imperial Law, we weren’t especially zealous about certain things, so from that moment onward, that Dwarven mace was my weapon, and no one in the Temple ever wanted to give me trouble for breaking the law of the n’wah. We went back upstairs, with the end of the battle to meet with the others. I gathered the remains of my mother’s mace quickly, because I wanted to keep it and have it repaired to honor her memory, however I learned that in combat I should not rely on it, and followed Serjo Red.</p><p>– Great job, mer! Now, we have this section of the shrine cleared. – Serjo White announced. – We must push on. Serjo Black! – He addressed me.</p><p>– Sera?</p><p>– Stay behind and guard this place so that no one would ambush us and no one would escape. Kill everyone on sight who is not wearing golden armor, ask questions later. Everybody else, after me! Wedge formation!</p><p>The team went on to clear out the shrine without me. Luckily, no one tried to escape, or ambush them, so the next hour was uneventful for me. I just stood there with the mace in my hand, ready for combat. Soon, Serjo Brown approached me:</p><p>– Mission accomplished. The cultists are dead. Now, we need to do the usual things. You’re needed downstairs.</p><p>Knowing that we were not in danger anymore, I took off my helmet. I followed Serjo Brown downstairs. The shrine had a statue of Mehrunes Dagon. It was terrible to behold it. The monster had four arms and it looked like he was ready to crush me with his axe in any moment. I felt insignificant in the presence of that statue. Serjo White addressed us:</p><p>– Good work, mer. There were some details that I did not share with you, but was shared with me. That corpse over there belongs to Severa Magia, the leader of the Dark Brotherhood in Vvardenfell. – He pointed at one of the corpses – You rid Vvardenfell of a great darkness. Be proud of yourself. We also recovered the Shoes of St. Rilms – he pointed at a chest near the statue – and killed the Mehrunes Dagon cultists and their allies in the Dark Brotherhood. Now, usual business. Serjo Blue! Start a fire outside. Serjo Red, help me strip these corpses. Serjo Black, Serjo Brown, check the containers. Beware traps. The corpses, and everything unclean, heretical or unholy must be burned. We must carry back the rest to Vivec for the Temple to use. Oh, and remember: Don’t touch the offerings at the shrine.</p><p>Serjo Brown told me that I should check the chests behind the statue of Mehrunes Dagon. He disabled the traps with some kind of tool that I did not know anything about. “It’s a probe” – He briefly explained to me as he made the chests safe to open in a few seconds. He was clearly an expert in that. I didn’t understand how could he be trained in using that tool at all, when they never taught me anything about that during my times as a recruit. When he was done, I could unlock the chests by applying sheer force to the padlock with my dagger. There were a couple of books inside each chest. Heretical books, such as Invocation of Azura, Arkay the Enemy, several volumes of Corpse Preparation and a copy of Darkest Darkness. There were also some regular books for wizards, such as Origin of the Mages’ Guild, and Special Flora of Tamriel. I felt an urge to take some of these books. I wanted to learn. No one looked at me in that moment, as they were busy with their tasks. However, Serjo White would probably inspect my backpack before leaving the shrine. Keeping my hands inside the chest, and carefully looking around, I tore the pages out from Invocation of Azura and Arkay the Enemy. Then I tore the pages of Special Flora of Tamriel and Origin of the Mages’ Guild too. Then I swapped the texts, so that the texts of the regular books would be in the cover of the heretical books and vice versa.</p><p>I left the chests with the two heretical books disguised as normal books in my hand, and approached Serjo White, who was busy with the corpses:</p><p>– Sera, may I keep these two books?</p><p>– What books, Serjo Black?</p><p>– One of them is a historical account, the other is about the various plants of Tamriel. History always fascinated me, and I’m interested in the art of healing.</p><p>– Oh, those? – He looked at the titles of the books briefly, but didn’t ask me to open them, luckily – Yes, you may keep them. As you know, we have to submit everything to the Temple usually, but for some reason, most of these unholy places we clear out have a copy of those. The Library of Vivec is full of them already, the Temple wouldn’t be able to use more.</p><p>I quickly put them into my backpack, then I went back to the chests. I grabbed the normal books, disguised as heretical books, as well as the rest of the heretical books that I couldn’t save, and left Ald Sotha, to throw them into the fire outside. We burned the corpses and the rest of the unholy items, then we gathered everything that could be used to give it to the Temple. Some of the things were quite valuable – ebony shields, enchanted daggers, gems – but sadly, we were not allowed to keep any of that. I looked forward to go back to Maar Gan on my day off, and read my new books. I believed that hiding them in the secret container which my mother used would be enough until I finish them, and after that I can burn them myself. After all, the Temple took care of my house while I was a child, and I wasn’t old enough to live somewhere on my own, and they had never found mother’s heretical books there either. I did not feel guilty for this. If the Tribunal is the only way, it can withstand the lies formulated in those books. And I craved to know more about the world. Perhaps about my late mother, and her secrets too. My only regret was that I betrayed Serjo White’s trust. I had no idea who he was, we had never met during the training (perhaps it was arranged in a way that we would always complete missions with strangers, so that it could never happen that I could recognize them in spite of the helmets and the code names) however, he was a comrade. We were both Ordinators, and more importantly: We fought together in a battle. But even then, honestly, this feeling didn’t last for long, because the content those books may have hidden attracted me very much, more than anything else in that moment.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice reads the heretical books and discovers how the Temple may have lied to her about certain things. Clearing out a Sixth House shrine with the fellow Ordinator named Teria. The death of Teria. The capture of Alice by the Order of Inquisition.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After the job at Ald Sotha, my services were not needed for two weeks. It meant that I had to dedicate all my time at work to training. On my days off, I went home to Maar Gan, and read the books that I acquired as quickly as possible in order to learn what I could from them and then burn them. Invocation of Azura was absolutely boring for me, it was written by a priestess of Azura, who argued that Azura was superior to all the other Daedric princes. Obviously, such a piece of writing could not possibly convince any faithful of the Tribunal to turn to Daedric worship, as Almsivi must be superior to any of them. The only interesting thing was, that according to the book, Molag Bal was a female, because the author referred to her as a “princess.” I always assumed that he was a male. I burned that book, and started reading Arkay the Enemy. It was written by the infamous necromancer, Mannimarco. It instructed everybody unholy, such as necromancers, vampires, liches to make alliance against Arkay, the Imperial god of death and also to seek the support of kings and other powerful people. I had to stop reading the book, as duty called me back to Vivec, so I hid it in the hidden container of my mother. I went back to Vivec for another week of training and then continued reading it. Mannimarco promised to his servants that soon they were going to strike and he will rule over everything. I burned the book. I believed that this book should actually have been given for Ordinators to study instead of being banned, as it provided a useful insight into the way our enemies were thinking. While I was home, I visited the smith to mend the broken mace of my mother too. He managed to do that, and I placed the repaired mace in my home, to the same plaque it was on before I first left Maar Gan, but promised to myself that I would only keep it in honor of my mother, but would never use it in combat, as relying on this old weapon may cost my life. In this period, I noticed in myself that I started to become more solemn and I aimed to follow my duty and improve myself in order to be a useful tool in the hands of Almsivi. In fact, I still had one evening of free time left before I had to return to Vivec, and instead of going to the Andus Tradehouse, I decided to read something else. I had chosen the book I bought from Jobasha, The Progress of Truth. I never expected that among the three books, the one I acquired legally in Vivec would be the most dangerous. It made me wonder whether the Ordinators actually ever checked that Khajit’s selection at all. The book, which was written by the so-called “Dissident Priests,” made a compelling argument attacking the core beliefs of our faith. It claimed that the Tribunal gained their divine powers by using “profanely enchanted tools,” and theft from a being with real power. It claimed that the Tribunal was unable to protect us from Dagoth Ur and his minions. Most importantly, it also claimed that the Nerevarine prophecies may be true, and that the persecution of the followers of the Nerevarine cult was unjust, and politically motivated, and that the Ashlanders possessed a vast knowledge and wisdom on the subject. There were other claims in the book as well, such as that the Temple clergy was corrupt, and was more interested in their own luxury than helping, and that the Ordinators used torture and kidnappings to discourage heresy.</p><p>I had waited until nightfall, and decided to burn the book immediately, along with the rest of the heretical books of my mother, to get rid of any evidence that I was reading such things. The proper thing to do would have been reporting the Khajit for selling such dangerous writings, but I decided not to do it, because then questions may have been asked about the way I knew about those dangerous writings, and also because I was eager to learn more, and he may have had other useful books for me to study. At that point, I only possessed a rudimentary knowledge on theology expected from a young priestess to be, which was amended by some additional knowledge expected from a new member of the Ordinators, therefore I couldn’t possibly jump into any conclusions about the truthfulness of the first claim, that Almsivi stole their divine powers by using “profane tools.” I needed to do more research on that. What gave me the idea to do research at all, and not to dismiss the whole book as nonsense was the second claim about the inability of the Tribunal to protect us. I could witness that with my own eyes in the last months. Somebody could loot the Andrano Ancestral Tomb, because the ghostfences of the family tombs were taken down in order to power the Great Ghostfence. I realized something which I did not realize previously, or perhaps did not want to realize: That the Ghostfence itself was ineffective, because it could not keep Dagoth Ur’s minions inside. After all, I could see a Dreamer and two Corprus victims with my own eyes, outside Red Mountain. I remembered the examples when Ordinators failed to defeat those evil beings, such as that one Dunmer whose armor now I possessed. And there was also that rumor that somebody broke into the Ministry of Truth itself. I never witnessed corruption in the Temple, or heard that Ordinators tortured anyone, but I remembered that the stranger at Kogoruhn told me that the Ordinators conducted a genocide at Kogoruhn, and massacred the entirety of Great House Dagoth. I didn’t know a lot about the Nerevarine prophecies, only that it was an Ashlander superstition that Lord Nerevar, the ancient Dunmer – or more precisely, Chimer – hero, would reincarnate, unite the Dunmer nation, drive out the invaders, defeat Dagoth Ur, and make us a great nation again, and that the Temple viewed these prophecies heretical. I felt that this part of the book was important, because according to the rumors there was somebody claiming to be a Nerevarine right now out in the wastes, trying to unite the Ashlander tribes. At that point, all I knew was that I wanted to know the truth, and that I would need more research, find new books, possibly talk with Ashlanders. I went to sleep, in order to be able to work the next day.</p><p>It was early dawn and still dark, when I heard a knock on my door. A courier appeared, delivering a letter to me. The letter told me that instead of going to Vivec, I should visit my old friend, Tuls Valen in Ald-ruhn immediately, (as soon as I received the letter) for he had a job for me. I dressed up, put on my armor and went to Ald-ruhn with the silt strider. I had to wake up the caravaner, and cite my authority as an Ordinator as a reason, as the first silt strider wouldn’t have gone anywhere until a few hours later. In Ald-ruhn, I entered the Temple, and found Tuls Valen. I addressed him:</p><p>– Serjo Valen, Adept Elisamsi from the Order of War. Reporting for duty, Serjo.</p><p>– Elisamsi! Good to see you again. But you’re late. The team was supposed to head to Ald Daedroth at night!</p><p>– What? The courier only approached me a few hours ago, and I had to wake up the caravaner to take the silt strider here!</p><p>– Then I must have a few words with him. Probably spent the night in the tavern instead of delivering the letter, eh? Never mind, it’s too late. A team of Ordinators is probably already fighting the Daedric cultists in Ald Daedroth. But luckily, I have another job for you.</p><p>I listened to the mer in silence.</p><p>– A dark cult is practicing the foulest of arts only a few hours from here in the cavern of Hassour. – He began. – You must kill everyone there, including their leader, Dagoth Fovon. Many of the righteous have fallen to him. – He continued.</p><p>This statement provided another evidence that the claims of The Progress of Truth were actually true. We couldn’t defeat this Sixth House minion. Serjo Valen went on:</p><p>– That’s why I have sent one of our best soldiers there, his code name for this mission is Teria. I actually think that it was fortunate that you arrived now, because he would need help, in spite of his skills. Your code name is… – he hesitated for a moment, as he had to make up one on the spot – Rithari, to go on with the theme of old Temple heroes. Meet him in the Balmora Temple, he went there to acquire a few Cure Blight potions and magical scrolls, if you use the Mages’ Guild’s service, you may catch him. Go go!</p><p>I quickly ran to the Mages’ Guild and paid my fare. I was sent to Balmora. I asked a passer-by to tell me where the Temple was, and I ran there in order to catch Teria. It was strange for me that Serjo Valen mentioned that our code names were the names of Temple heroes. I had no idea who Teria was. As far as Rithari was concerned, it rang a bell. I may have read something about that person in the past, but in that moment I could not recall it. However, it appealed to me, and for some reason thought that it was suitable for me.</p><p>At the Balmora Temple, an Ordinator in Indoril armor was about to leave. I approached him:</p><p>– Are you Teria?</p><p>– Yes… – He said. I noticed that he grabbed his mace on his side.</p><p>– I’m Rithari. I’ll be your partner in this mission.</p><p>– What? But Serjo Valen told me that I would have to go alone.</p><p>– Change of plans. I was to go with another team to Ald Daedroth last night. But the courier arrived late, so Serjo Valen sent me here.</p><p>– Well, that’s bad luck for you. And giving me the code name “Teria” while you’re “Rithari” is funny. That old mer has a sense of humor.</p><p>– Why? – I inquired.</p><p>– I’ll tell you, when that monster is dead. – He told me. – Here, Serjo Valen is very cautious, he made the Balmora Temple give me too many potions. Take one. – He handed over a potion to cure blight disease. – Now, follow me.</p><p>I followed the mer out from Balmora. We passed next to the marketplace and the guilds, and left the city through the southern gate. We turned eastwards, and crossed the bridges above the Odai river. We approached Fort Moonmoth. I noticed that on the road, next to the fort a half-naked Dunmer was standing. He seemed like he was in a trance as he started to speak to us:</p><p>– Beneath Red Mountain, Lord Dagoth has awakened. Now Sleepers and Dreamers all are risen, and the dust is blown away. Come to your Lord, Dagoth Ur. The Sixth House is risen, and Dagoth is its glory.</p><p>Without asking any questions, Teria drew his mace and bashed the Dunmer’s skull.</p><p>– A Dreamer. We are close. We’ll burn him when we’re done. – He told me. It seemed that Teria was an expert on the Sixth House cult, and perfect for this job. We continued our journey. We passed next to Fort Moonmoth, and arrived to Foyada Mamaea, which led to Ghostgate and all up to Red Mountain. However, instead of turning north, we turned south. A few cliff racers bothered us there, but it was nothing we couldn’t handle at that point. Teria led me to the entrance of a cave.</p><p>He addressed me:</p><p>– This is Hassour, our destination. You follow me and make sure that nothing attacks me from behind. I did this several times. – I nodded. – I may need some help with Dagoth Fovon, though. – He remarked, and proceeded to open the door.</p><p>It was dark inside, there were some lights provided by sinister red candles. I heard music, as if someone was playing bells. Even this music felt so evil that I could feel it in my bones when a bell was hit. I saw the same naked Dunmer, males and females, as at Kogoruhn. They were sitting next to some kind of campfire, and they all had Corprus disease, and were busy eating the torn-out pieces of their own, deformed flesh in a trance. There was something primal about them, perhaps in the past, our first ancestors were occupying caves too and were eating meat, (of an animal, not their own flesh) naked, next to a campfire. We drew our maces, and in that moment they all stood up and drew their maces too, and attacked us. Teria quickly dispatched them, they were no match for him.</p><p>We descended further into the cave, and we had to kill several “ash slaves” too. They were not particularly strong, but were capable of using magic, and ambushed us in the dark several times, and as agreed, it was up to me to protect Teria from attacks from behind. We arrived to the shrine, and Teria killed the Dreamer playing on the bells. I was glad that the sinister music stopped, as it made me uneasy, with the red lights, and the naked Dreamers eating their own flesh. I imagined that this must have been how animals felt in my presence, for some reason unknown to me. The situation that I witnessed in Hassour evoked something in me, buried deep in my mind. I wanted to get out of there, but I couldn’t betray Teria, I had to gather my strength and follow him.</p><p>Eventually, only Dagoth Fovon remained, at the end of the shrine. The creature looked like a Dunmer in a robe, whose entire face was removed and replaced by a trunk.</p><p>– The soul of Dagoth Gares is among us. The false one have broken his body, but his spirit is with us in our waking dreams. – It announced, and attacked us. It shot a powerful shock damage spell towards me. Even though my Indoril armor was made of chitin, it had metallic parts, which for some reason that I did not understand, made that shock damage spell on me even more painful, and I immediately collapsed to the ground for a few seconds. Teria continued fighting with the creature. I quickly drank a healing potion which I took out from my backpack, and stood up to help him. Our maces against its magic. We managed to beat it together in the end. In the moment it fell, it cast one last spell at Teria. Just to make sure it was dead, Teria took his dagger out and cut its head off. With that, the Sixth House shrine was cleared, but we still needed to destroy everything inside. Luckily, there was a lava pool in the cave, so we dropped all the corpses inside, as well as not only all the unholy items, but every single item inside, because everything might have been contaminated. We were almost finished when Teria opened his mouth:</p><p>– I don’t feel well, Rithari. – Teria announced. He removed his helmet, and I saw the well-known symptoms: Bloodshot, red eyes, swollen face. Visibly rough and dry skin. He couldn’t control himself and started scratching it. I handed over the potion to cure blight disease to him, but I knew what it was, and that it wouldn’t have helped. He started crying hysterically in the middle of the Sixth House shrine, and had the look of a mer on his face who knew that his time was over. It was something that I was afraid to face in all my life, that one day, my final hour would come too. He wanted to embrace me in his grief, but I instinctively took one step back, and felt very ashamed because of it.</p><p>– There… there is a Telvanni… – I stuttered, trying to give some comfort to my comrade.</p><p>– The Corprusarium? No, we only send victims there because it’s better for everyone else than if they were free. He never cured anyone, as I know. I won’t have him torture me and do experiments on my body for all eternity! Do you hear me? I won’t! – He exclaimed, and turned his back at me. He sighed deeply. He looked back at me for a moment and told me:</p><p>– He was a Second Era Buoyant Armiger, Galur Rithari. Ane Teria was a first era Ordinator. Both of them were heretics. It was an honor. – In that moment he jumped right into the lava pool. I instinctively extended my arm towards him to make him stop, but it was too late. As I watched him burn to death, I felt honored that I had the opportunity to serve with such a brave and noble warrior who would choose death over becoming a Corprus monster. I walked through the cave to gather every single item that was left and drop them into the lave pool as well. I dropped even the bells and the hammer that was used to play on them. Everything was destroyed, and the Sixth House shrine was no longer a threat. Unbelievable as it may sound, the moment I left the cave, it collapsed behind me, as if it was only held together by Dagoth Ur’s evil magic. Or perhaps caves such as that were prone to spontaneous cave-ins because of the lava, and I was extremely lucky I could get out in the last moment. Either way, it suited me fine, because it could never be occupied again, and my comrade’s death was not for nothing. I went back to Balmora, and bought a torch and a bottle of flin to take care of that corpse next to the road too. As it was burning away, a couple of Legion troopers came out from the fort to investigate, but when they saw that I was an Ordinator, they didn’t dare to say a word, and went back. Following that, I used the Mages’ Guild’s service to go back to Ald-ruhn. In the Temple, I addressed Tuls Valen:</p><p>– Serjo, Teria is dead, but the Sixth House shrine is no longer a threat. Everything, and everyone has been destroyed.</p><p>– Dead? Where is his corpse?</p><p>– He jumped into the lava pool in the cave. He couldn’t live on. The monster… infected him with Corprus.</p><p>– I’m sorry, Elisamsi. But you have done well. I know that it wouldn’t help you against Corprus, but the cultists also spread Blight disease, so please take these scrolls and potions. – He handed over two potions to cure blight disease and two similar scrolls to me. – These are troubling times, indeed… – he pondered.</p><p>– What are my orders now, Serjo? – I inquired.</p><p>– Just go back to Vivec, and train until your next assignment. I wanted to tell you that we might not meet again. It was an honor working for the Temple with you, but I’ll soon retire and a younger priest will take my place here, in Ald-ruhn.</p><p>I embraced my friend, I expressed how honored I was to work with him, and that I was glad that I could begin my career in the Temple under the guidance of such a wise mer as himself. He expressed his intention to live a quiet life with his grandchildren and garden in the mainland, and then we parted ways. I went back to Vivec. My next week was spent in an uneventful manner, with training. Only after a couple of days did I have the opportunity to actually think about Teria’s last words. He told me that Ane Teria was a first era Ordinator and Galur Rithari was a second era Buoyant Armiger, and that was where we got our code names from. It dawned on me that I read about Galur Rithari from one of the heretical books of my mother, that’s why the name was familiar to me. But how came that I never learned about these persons in the Temple and my fallen comrade did? It was not part of regular Ordinator training or regular training for priesthood. Of course, they wouldn’t teach us the lives of heretics. Was my fallen comrade a “Dissident Priest?” He died, so that source of this knowledge was severed from me forever.</p><p>Then I remembered that the code names were given to us by Tuls Valen, therefore he also knew about these heretical Temple heroes. I speculated that Tuls Valen may have been a “Dissident Priest” and I could learn more from him, however he was about to retire. Or perhaps not retire at all, but go into hiding with these “Dissident Priests?” Or helping the person who claimed to be the Nerevarine? Perhaps Teria was the only person who tied him to the official structure of the Temple, and that being gone, he decided to seek out the other “Dissidents.” This was all just speculation from my part, but I was certain that Tuls Valen could give me more information on my search of knowledge. I couldn’t just leave Vivec and seek him out before he retires, Vivec knows where, as I was an Ordinator, always expected to be ready to serve. But maybe one of the friends of Tuls Valen could help me? My old teacher and friend, Tralas Rendas was on good terms with him too, he even told me once to send his regards to him. And there was my mother, hiding all those heretical books in her home, and the Temple never finding them. It was rumored that Tralas was my father, and he took me in and raised me after the death of my mother, because they were lovers and I was his daughter. And my mother was an Ashlander too, and the book mentioned that the “Dissident Priests” learned a lot from them. Perhaps a conspiracy occurred right before my eyes in all my life, and they were all part of a movement aiming to reorganize the Temple? I thought that I started to put the pieces of this puzzle together, but I didn’t have any solid evidence so far, it was only speculation. Or perhaps it was all a coincidence, and only my fantasy put the pieces together, because I wanted to feel more significant than I actually was.</p><p>During one of those nights, I had another one of those nightmares. I was an Ashlander, among my tribe in the wastes. I got a burnt wound on my palm, caused by some kind of fire. The Wise Woman treated the wound, and applied some ointment to it. It felt better, and the pain went away immediately. A moment later, I looked at my palm and the wound began to crack and split away, and finally falling to chunks onto the floor of the yurt. The Wise Woman had a terrifying smile on her face, as she observed me in silence. In that moment, I woke up, full of sweat. It was dark in the barracks, and I felt that there was the blade of a sword at my neck. It wasn’t a dream anymore, someone indeed put a blade against my neck. Was this an assassin? But why would an assassin want to kill me?</p><p>The light of several torches filled the barracks suddenly. I saw that they took away both my dagger and my new Dwarven mace, as they were not in the vicinity. I was completely helpless against them. They were three Ordinators.</p><p>– You are under arrest. Resistance is futile. – The one holding the sword against my neck told me. It was true. I had neither the means to escape nor the weapons to fight back. The next moment, they dragged me out from my bed. They didn’t even allow me to dress up, they dragged me out from the barracks in the shirt and pants I slept in, barefooted. We went outside, and they all drank a potion. They were levitation potions. Holding my two arms, they rose from the ground, and I rose with them. I immediately understood our destination: Baar Dau, the Ministry of Truth.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice in imprisoned in the Ministry of Truth. How the Grand Inquisitor tortures her, and how she gets released at the end. A meeting with Berel Sala. An offer to join the Order of Inquisition and learning that the mysterious outlander she had encountered previously actually claims to be the Nerevarine. Her new job: Hunting down the Nerevarine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Before we entered the Ministry of Truth, they blindfolded me. It was clear that they wanted me to realize where they were taking me, but they didn’t want me to witness more inside than I was supposed to. They dragged me through the facility, and put me into a cell, before they removed the blindfold. The cell was actually a small cave-like room, with the walls being the walls of the meteorite itself. They locked the door behind me. Inside, there was a small bedroll and one lantern. They didn’t even give me a bucket, in fact it could be seen that prisoners before me didn’t have one either. I didn’t have any tools or weapons at my disposal, therefore it was certain that I could not escape the place. I decided to wait and see what happens. I assumed that the reason they dragged me there was my possession of the heretical books. Perhaps Serjo Brown or one of the other Ordinators witnessed me taking them from Ald Sotha. Perhaps that Khajit bookseller was actually working for the Ordinators, and it was a test for me, whether I would remain faithful to Almsivi. Perhaps these “Dissident Priests” never existed at all, and the whole story was a way of the Temple to reveal those who had heretical thoughts? I was certain that they would break into my home in Maar Gan, however, I burned all the evidence, therefore there was a chance that I could fool them into releasing me. I looked at the walls, and touched them. I sensed that a great power has been contained in this meteorite. When Vivec stopped it from crashing into the city, he did not actually stop it, he just halted it. The velocity of the fall was still inside, ready to be unleashed, if Vivec wanted. I wondered how big this meteorite was from the inside and how many prisoners were there. Was I the only one in that moment? Were there thousands? I didn’t know, because all I had seen was my cell. They wanted to keep me in doubt about everything.</p><p>I tried going closer to the door to listen what is going on outside, but it was all in vain. The door seemed extremely thick, I didn’t hear a single sound. I was uncertain whether they had heard me on the other side of the door. I imagined that they would be able to hear and see me as well, – perhaps through some magical means – as it would have been foolish to leave a prisoner without surveillance. I tried to look around in the cell too, to see if a former prisoner left a piece of paper or something there, but there was nothing. While it was obvious that those who maintained the Ministry of Truth rarely if ever cleaned the cells, they made sure to make everything personal removed – if there was anything like that at all to begin with.</p><p>I did not have a way to measure time, as I was locked inside a huge rock and thus didn’t have the opportunity to observe any other celestial objects, but I estimated that a few hours may have passed before my cell door was opened. As the two Ordinators entered my cell, I saw that behind them, there was blinding light. It must have been a light spell, so that I wouldn’t be able to see what was outside. They blindfolded me again, and dragged me outside. In a few minutes, I felt that they made me sit onto a chair and tied me onto it. They removed the blindfold. I was in a room, similar to the previous one, albeit bigger. The door was locked, and there were tables with all kinds of tools and blades on it. Did they really use torture, like The Progress of Truth claimed? An Ordinator was standing before me, in the usual Indoril armor, and the helmet covering his face.</p><p>– Prisoner number 46664 – He addressed me. What did that number represent? Was that the total number of prisoners? Or only those who were currently in the facility? – I’ll only give you this chance once. Confess your sins against Almsivi now, give us information about your heretical friends, and face a quick, painless death.</p><p>They wanted a confession, which supported my speculation that they didn’t actually have any tangible evidence against me.</p><p>– I don’t have anything to confess. – I stated.</p><p>– Very well. – He replied, and punched me in the face. He continued punching me everywhere. My belly, my chest. I was tied to the chair, so I couldn’t resist. He pushed me to the ground with the chair and kicked me multiple times. This lasted for more than an hour. My face was covered with my own blood. When he stopped, a mer in a robe appeared. He was a healer, and healed my wounds with magic, but only so that the beating could start again. And again. Then they brought me back to my cell and left me there until the next day. They didn’t give me food.</p><p>The next day, they dragged me into the interrogation room again. But this time, a different Ordinator was standing before me.</p><p>– I heard how the Grand Inquisitor tortured you yesterday. I felt sorry for you. I wish I could offer you more help. – He announced and poured a cup of Mazte into my mouth. I didn’t have the opportunity to drink anything since I was there, so I welcomed it, without thinking that it might have been poison or something similar too. The mer mentioned “Grand Inquisitor” which sounded like a high-ranking position. Why would such a high-ranking person torture me? – Please, just confess, before he arrives. I cannot bear to see you suffer. – He told me.</p><p>– I don’t have anything to confess. They locked me up here as a mistake! – In that moment, the door opened, and the same mer who tortured me the previous day appeared. The mer who gave me the Mazte left the room.</p><p>– Prisoner 46664. Perhaps you have something to tell me? – The Grand Inquisitor asked.</p><p>– I’m innocent. If you accuse me with something, I demand a trial! – I said.</p><p>– No, you’re a heretic, and you’ll confess it.</p><p>– If you’re so sure, then why didn’t you kill me already? – I asked.</p><p>– Because I want you to die as a person who realized that her ways were wrong, and begs for forgiveness from Almsivi. And also maybe because I enjoy doing it. I’ll find your greatest fear, and make you confess. And most importantly: give us information about your heretical friends. – He said, and pointed at an amulet on the table. – Now, according to our informants, you acted like the little bitch you are during the Grace of Courtesy pilgrimage. Perhaps your fear is drowning? You see, this amulet has a healing enchantment which enchanters call “constant effect.” – There was a knock on the door, which interrupted the mer. Two Ordinators entered, carrying a tub, filled with water. They left, and locked the door. The Grand Inquisitor put the amulet on me, untied me, and dragged me to the tub. He pushed my head under the water, and kept me like that for hours. The amulet prevented me from dying, but after a few minutes, I constantly felt the burning sensation which was similar to the Grace of Courtesy pilgrimage. My lungs were filled with water, but the amulet always removed it and healed any damage in my lungs, at least until my lungs were filled with water again. In the end, they threw me into my cell again until the next day.</p><p>The last two days took such a toll on my body, that I couldn’t think clearly, and I had fallen asleep almost immediately. A quick thought went through my brain considering the fact that somebody observed how I acted during the Grace of Courtesy pilgrimage. Did the Temple have informants and spies everywhere and they kept an eye on the citizens all the time?</p><p>I started to lose my sense of time more and more, but what I assumed to be the next day, the same Dunmer entered my cell who gave me the Mazte the previous day. He handed over a slice of bread to me. I was extremely hungry, so I ate it immediately, without thanking him.</p><p>– Please confess. They have planned terrible things for you. I don’t want you to face them.</p><p>– Then help me get out of here!</p><p>– I wish I could. But perhaps if you confess, tell them everything about your heretical friends, and beg for forgiveness, there is a small chance they might release you alive. But you have to cooperate.</p><p>– I don’t have heretical friends, and I don’t have anything to confess. It’s a mistake. I’m innocent! – I said. I couldn’t have been sure whether this mer genuinely wanted to help, or it was just another trick to get a confession out of me.</p><p>– There’s no point in denying it. – He said, and left my cell. Then the same process was repeated. Then the next day again. Every day, they were torturing me with some method. One day, a mage shot shock damage spells at me, and another mage healed my wounds for hours. They have beaten me up more and more brutally, in fact, they have broken several bones of mine, but the healer always healed them with magic as much as it was possible, – magic itself couldn’t join the broken pieces of a bone together, but it could take the pain away and accelerate the natural healing process significantly – so I was always ready for more cruelty. They cut into my flesh with blades, and rubbed netch leather into the wounds. They whipped me like a slave. Following all these torture methods, one day they tied me onto a bed, which was under a cage, filled with rats.</p><p>– These rats haven’t eaten for weeks. If I release them, they are going to eat you alive. Unless you have something to confess. – The Grand Inquisitor announced.</p><p>– At least tell me what you are accusing me with! I’m innocent! – I begged. This time, I felt really scared. I could tolerate physical pain to some extent, thanks to my training as an Ordinator, but I couldn’t bear the thought that rats would eat my face and disfigure me.</p><p>I was a moment away from changing my mind, and actually confessing that I possessed those heretical books, but the Grand Inquisitor opened the cage, and left the room. It was all in vain in that moment. The rats jumped onto my face and chest. As they were ready to eat from my flesh, an instinct, whose origin I did not understand made me do something. I raised my head from the bed to which I was tied to, as much as I could, and I showed my canine teeth to the rats, and hissed. The next moment, they were all trembling from fear, like animals, that are not especially hungry or aggressive, around me. I hissed again, and moved my head a bit more, as if I had the ability to attack. They all ran away, and disappeared somewhere on the floor of the Ministry of Truth. The door opened after a few minutes, and the Grand Inquisitor entered with the healer.</p><p>– They weren’t hungry, I assume? – He looked at the healer, who shrugged. – Lucky bitch. Then we’ll do something else today. – He said, and addressed the healer again. – Pull her teeth out. The healer took one of the pliers from the table, and began to pull one of my canine teeth out, without giving me anything to ease the pain. My tooth was creaking and crackling, and moved a little as it was pulled with the pliers but it didn’t want to come out for several hours. On the other hand, it was very painful.</p><p>– I don’t understand. Her teeth are extremely strong. I don’t think I have the strength to pull them out.</p><p>The Grand Inquisitor got angry, and picked up a mace from the table, and pushed the healer aside. He was beating my body with the mace with great anger and yelling at me:</p><p>– I’ve had enough of this nonsense! Confess already! You are the Ashlander informant of the Nerevarine! Where is the Nerevarine now? What do you know about them? – I realized that my imprisonment was not due to the crime that I have actually committed. They believed for some reason that I was helping that person who claimed to be the Nerevarine. Two Ordinators rushed into the room to hold the Grand Inquisitor back from hurting me further. I must have passed out after that, because the next thing I remembered was that I was in my cell. The Ordinator who gave me food and Mazte several days ago entered my cell again, as I regained my consciousness. He had a cup of Mazte and a slice of bread for me again. He didn’t say a word, but I knew that his arrival means that I would be dragged into the torture room soon. I was thinking about the words of the Grand Inquisitor the previous day. They wanted me to confess my allegiance with the Nerevarine? But I had never met the Nerevarine, nor did I know anything about them! After a few minutes I realized that when I worked as a Watch guard, I had to put up several notices in Vivec City about them, which contained a description of them. If only I could remember that so I could figure out what was going on!</p><p>The Ordinators, as predicted, dragged me into the torture room and I was tied onto the chair, like every day in that period. The Grand Inquisitor appeared:</p><p>– Do you have a word for me? – He inquired.</p><p>– Sera, I swear to Almsivi that I do not know anything about the Nerevarine, nor did I meet them. It must be a misunderstanding. If I was seen together with them, it must have been a coincidence. I traveled a lot lately, and met several new people.</p><p>– You were together with the heretic at Ald Skar Inn and Kogoruhn. – The Grand Inquisitor announced. It could be seen that the first time during my time in the Ministry of Truth, he had doubts. – We know everything. Confess and tell us all you know!</p><p>Suddenly I realized that the Nerevarine must have been that mysterious stranger whom I had met two times during the previous months. Were they really the Nerevarine? Did I get into trouble because they thought that I was helping them?</p><p>– The first time I met this outlander, I was a Novice of the Temple. I delivered a book to the Ashlander trader, Hassour Zainsubani, who was living in the Ald Skar Inn. It was a Temple book. The Cantatas of Vivec. Master Tuls Valen, from the Ald-ruhn Temple asked me to do that. Inside, I saw the outlander having a conversation with Hassour Zainsubani. When he left, I handed the book over to the Ashlander, and went back to the Temple.</p><p>– Except that Master Tuls Valen left the Temple recently and we don’t know where he is at the moment! He cannot testify for you. – He punched me in the face. – And Hassour Zainsubani told us that you were talking with the outlander in that tavern, he witnessed that.</p><p>– Then he lied. He was cooperating with the Nerevarine, not me. He used the fact that I was there too as a means to get away with it. I’m an Ashlander too. But think about it: I’m a settled Ashlander, and my mother was a Redoran retainer. I never lived among my people! What do I know about them? Zainsubani left his tribe to become a trader. He could provide information to the Nerevarine better than me.</p><p>– One problem remains, bitch. Kogoruhn. – He told me.</p><p>– Ask Mistress Uvoo Llaren about that. She can testify that I was on a Temple mission to bring an important item back. It was a coincidence if that heretical outlander n’wah scum was there too! – I added these words into my confession to make it more believable. It seemed that it worked as they dragged me back into my cell that day, without torturing me further.</p><p>The most horrible experience only came after that. The mer, who gave me food and drink and was somehow nice with me during my imprisonment entered my cell. He locked the cell door behind him.</p><p>– They might release you tomorrow. Too bad. – He said. – I hoped that I could rape you before we throw your body into the fire. I always do that with female prisoners. It makes me happy that they trust me, because I bring them food and something to drink, and I’m nice with them. I love to see the desperation in their eyes when they are betrayed. But what happens in the Ministry of Truth, stays in the Ministry of Truth. – He advanced towards me. I wanted to run towards the door and scream as much as I could, but he caught my arm. He continued:</p><p>– Where do you think you are going? – He pulled me towards himself, grabbing my two arms with sheer force, and standing behind me. As I was struggling to get away, he started to lick my face with his disgusting tongue. The stink of his saliva could be smelled, even in my dirty cell. Terrible hygiene. I struggled to get away, but the next thing I realized was that he pushed me to the ground, and held my arms against it. He continued licking my face with his dirty tongue, and I tried to get away from it. Eventually, he tried to shove it down into my mouth. Even though I was panicking and there was no way anyone would hear me (or possibly cared if they heard me) I realized that I had one chance to get away with this. I was weak from the torture I experienced in the previous days, but I collected all my strength and bit the tongue of the mer. He immediately released me, screaming from agony. His mouth was covered with blood, and as I swallowed some of that I realized something terrible: I liked it and I felt as if I could gain some strength from it. I took the opportunity which this moment of confusion created, and grabbed the mer’s dagger, an item many Ordinators carried. I knew exactly where would I have to look for it. I put it against his throat, and I knew that I only had one chance:</p><p>– I’ll kill you! – I threatened him, and I was ready to slit his throat. I didn’t care about the possible consequences, because I felt that however much I feared death, it would have been preferable to living disgraced and shunned, as a fallen woman. Or perhaps it was swallowing the blood which clouded my judgment? The mer started to yell, as much as pain allowed him to do:</p><p>– The prisoner took my weapon! – A moment later, two Ordinators entered the cell, and they pushed me to the ground, taking the dagger away, and beating me up. Then they locked the cell and left me alone, and at least I survived without being raped. – You whore! – My intended rapist told me, as he left with them, still bleeding.</p><p>The next day, I was taken to the interrogation room, as usual. The Grand Inquisitor entered with two Ordinators. The two Ordinators were holding a beaten Ashlander. I recognized him: He was Hassour Zainsubani. They tied him to another chair, and the Grand Inquisitor asked one question from him:</p><p>– Did you put the blame of your sins to this prisoner?</p><p>– Yes. I am the Ashlander informant of the Nerevarine. This girl gave me the book, which I never actually read, but used it as evidence to show that I’m faithful to Almsivi. As there were several people around to testify about what happened, and some of them were my friends, when you captured me, I could make it look like that she, as a fellow Ashlander in the same place at the same time, was helping the outlander. I beg for forgiveness from Almsivi. – He said. It was a perfect confession, perhaps a result of weeks of torture and the fact that it was in vain to lie at that point, with my confession taken into consideration. In that moment, the Grand Inquisitor took a dagger from the table and slit his throat right before my eyes. He took his death without uttering a sound. It must have been a relief after weeks in the Ministry of Truth. Then I felt a hit at the back of my head, and everything went black. They must have knocked me out. I woke up in my bed at the Ordinator barracks. My weapons were next to my bed. I had similar clothes on me as inside Baar Dau, but they looked new, and they were definitely clean and not torn. My body was clean too, and without injuries. Was this all a bad dream? Or did they release me when Mistress Uvoo Llaren and my confession proved my innocence? I got out from bed, and a courier approached me in the common area of the barracks. He told me that I should go to the office of Berel Sala, the leader of the Ordinators in Vvardenfell, immediately. I put on my armor, and made sure that I would not leave my weapons behind either, and entered the office of the mer. He was sitting at his desk, doing some paperwork. He had a colleague, a female Dunmer, who was doing the same. Sala nodded, and pointed at a chair. I did as he asked, and sat down. He started to speak:</p><p>– Thank you for coming. The Temple deems you worthy to an advancement for your excellent work at Ald Sotha and Hassour. You are a Curate now. Please, take this reward. – He put a large sack of gold onto the table. He continued: – It’s 5000 gold. You deserve it.</p><p>It was more than I had ever seen in my life. From this sum, I could either live like a queen for years, or buy a second home. Was this and the advancement – which I definitely wasn’t worthy of yet just because of Ald Sotha and Hassour – a bribe to make me forget about the Ministry of Truth? Or was this really all a dream? At least Serjo Sala claimed that I have done an excellent work at Ald Sotha, which meant that no one had suspicions about the books.</p><p>– By the way, I wanted to ask – he continued – how was your training with the Fighters’ Guild?</p><p>– My training with the Fighters’ Guild? – I inquired.</p><p>– Why yes! – He exclaimed – Earlier last week you requested a leave of absence from our order, because you wanted to train your skills and earn some money from mercenary contracts with the Fighters’ Guild.</p><p>– You’re mistaken, Serjo. – I told him. – I’m not a member of the Fighters’ Guild anymore. I resigned.</p><p>– What are you talking about? Of course you are, I’m certain that if you checked the records of the Fighters’ Guild, you would be listed as a member. I’m also certain that your friends in Maar Gan would be happy to see you again, and would have a lot of questions about your time there and that the leader of the Balmora branch of the guild, Eydis Fire-Eye was most satisfied with your work last week. I’m certain that if you asked her, she would express her satisfaction. Do you understand?</p><p>Naturally, I understood it. I was never held in the Ministry of Truth, at least officially. They erased every record about that, and made up a cover story, which they deceived everyone into believing, or used threats and bribes. I nodded. I wasn’t sure whether in that moment I hated my own order more for torturing me, or for not even admitting their mistake, but bribing me with a promotion and 5000 gold to go on with a fake story.</p><p>– Now, the reason I called you here. – He continued. – Is because we believe that you have met, as an accident, with the person who claims to be the Nerevarine.</p><p>– By Almsivi, Serjo! Am I trouble? You won’t lock me up, will you? – I said with sarcasm in my voice. It seemed that this Ordinator, like most of them was incapable of understanding that, and he was satisfied with my answer, as it meant that I was going on with the fake story, and agreed with the “fact” that I was never held in the Ministry of Truth.</p><p>– No. It is clear that you have met with this outlander as a coincidence. However, it means that you know more about him than everyone else in our order. Therefore, I want you to join the Order of the Inquisition and be in charge for hunting them down. – He explained. – This individual, in addition to being a heretic, is also an Imperial spy, and is responsible for the looting of the Andrano Ancestral Tomb, and they broke into the Ministry of Truth. They have connections both among common criminals and the members of the heretical organization called “The Dissident Priests.” We want you to help us.</p><p>– I don’t know if I’m suitable for that, Serjo. – I told the truth, but I also wasn’t sure that after the Ministry of Truth I wanted to help the Ordinators anymore.</p><p>– You are more suitable than anyone. You have seen them, and know them more than any of us. The Ashlander tribes are united now, all under the flag of the n’wah. The leaders of the tribes held a meeting, and they are ready to die for this heretic. They threaten the stability of Morrowind itself now. They might loot cities and take slaves.</p><p>I remained silent, and noticed that there was a Dwemer goblet at the Ordinator’s table. He was wealthy. I wondered where he got that from. I replied after a few seconds:</p><p>– Then I assume the Ordinators should exterminate all those brutes. – I was once again sarcastic, and referred to the Nerevarine’s claim that our order came to be by a genocide against House Dagoth at Kogoruhn.</p><p>– And I would do that if I could! – He hit the table with his fist. – But the Nerevarine is popular among some of the commoners now too. They think that they are a hero. And even worse, the outlander is trying to convince the Great House leaders now to make them their “Hortator” – their leader in case of a war. A war against Almsivi!</p><p>He went on:</p><p>– Great House Redoran is pious, especially their leader, Bolvyn Venim. They would only approach them with the support of another House already. The outlander could convince the Hlaalu scum easily, but the Hlaalu council members mostly live in Vivec. If the Nerevarine comes here, they are a dead person. They would leave the Hlaalu as the last House to convince. Therefore we assume, that the heretic would go to Telvanni territory first. The Telvanni do not care about politics, most of them could be convinced with some witty small talk or at least the promise that the Nerevarine would go away instead of bothering them on. And if all that fails, combat is still an option. The Telvanni believe in force the most, and that might makes right.</p><p>– What do you expect from me, Serjo? – I asked. I wasn’t keen on helping my former comrades, but perhaps by agreeing to doing it, I could meet with the Nerevarine again, and ask them questions about the “Dissident Priests” and whatever was the truth concerning Almsivi and the Temple. If they were indeed a heretic and threatening the peace of Morrowind, then I would help the Ordinators for the greater good, but if they were telling the truth, I would help them against those people who tortured me. I still didn’t have any proof about the claims that Almsivi were stealing their divine powers, and that the Nerevarine prophecies were genuine, but I was open to learn more and perhaps the Nerevarine could have helped me with that. However, I was certain that the other claims of the book, about the corruption and immorality of the Temple were right.</p><p>– You work for the Order of the Inquisition now, like most members, in secret. Officially, you are still a member of the Order of War. You will be provided funds to travel around Vvardenfell and follow the Nerevarine, and report any information you learn to our informers, who are present in every tavern of this island. Now, there are several smaller tasks that require the attention of the Order of War, but they do not really have the capacity to respond to all of them. Haunted houses, grave robbers of Imperial crypts, insignificant issues like that. That will be your cover. You travel Telvanni territory, or any other territory the outlander goes to, with the pretense that you are from the Order of War, doing these smaller tasks. But your real job is for the Order of the Inquisition, reporting about the Nerevarine. As an Ashlander, and someone they had met briefly, you might even be able to gain their trust. But just following them and reporting everything important is sufficient.</p><p>He stopped for a moment, and then added:</p><p>– When there’s an opportunity, we’ll strike. – He announced. – Your code name for this mission is… – he began the sentence, but I stopped him:</p><p>– I grew attached to my code name during my previous mission. – I told him.</p><p>– Rithari? – He asked. – Do you know who he was?</p><p>– No. – I lied. It suddenly dawned on me that according to the heretical books of my mother, Galur Rithari was a Second Era Buoyant Armiger who claimed that he got cured from vampirism.</p><p>– Then you can be Rithari, if you insist.</p><p> </p><p>He told me that I should talk about the details of the mission with his colleague, and he went back to his work. His colleague, a Dunmer woman, told me everything about the informants around the taverns of Vvardenfell, and the various small tasks that I would do at Telvanni territory to cover my real intention. When she finished, I left the office, and headed to the Foreign Quarter to be on my way.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>More work for the Fighters’ Guild. Taking care of a ghost that the Telvanni couldn’t deal with.</p>
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    <p>I was certain that I would meet with the Nerevarine again. Berel Sala revealed it to me that they were accusing the Nerevarine with the looting of the Andrano Ancestral Tomb too. I wasn’t sure whether that accusation was right or not, after my imprisonment in the Ministry of Truth I lost a great deal of my trust in the Ordinators. However, whoever took that skull, did it the night I rented a room in the nearby settlement, Pelagiad. If that person was the Nerevarine, then a higher force, perhaps the gods, or destiny arranged it in a way that I would have the opportunity to be close to them three times: In Pelagiad, near the Andrano Ancestral Tomb, in Ald-ruhn, in the Ald Skar Inn, and at Kogoruhn. I considered myself fortunate that the Temple never looked into the first time our paths crossed, as I was certain that a proof that we have met three times couldn’t have been coincidence in the eyes of the inquisitors. The question was whether the next time we would meet as friends or foes. After all, if it was true that the outlander stole the skull of a Dunmer from an ancestral tomb, they deserved punishment. For being a heretic? I didn’t know in that moment. Perhaps, if the Temple was right, and whatever the “Dissident Priests” stated were false, but even then, definitely no one deserved imprisonment in the Ministry of Truth. I wasn’t sure what I would do when I meet the Nerevarine again, but I was certain that I would desire to meet them.</p><p>In the Foreign Quarter, I visited the shop of Agrippina Herennia. She was a talented clothier, and in spite of being an outlander, she could imitate the clothes that Ashlanders wore. I decided that I would buy a set – a shirt, a skirt and a pair of shoes – of those clothes, because even though the Ordinators provided me a cover to follow the Nerevarine, if I wanted to approach them, it would have definitely made more sense to do so in the clothes of my people, instead of in the armor of my order. I was certain that if any of the foolish outlanders visited an Ashlander Camp in those clothes, the Ashlanders would have killed them on the spot. However, as an Ashlander myself, I had a chance. I imagined that if the Nerevarine managed to gather an army of Ashlanders, as the Ordinators claimed, then at least a couple of them would follow them around, as bodyguards. I definitely didn’t want to get into that situation in Indoril armor. I also bought a couple of levitation potions from the alchemist, because such a thing was necessary in Telvanni territory.</p><p>However, before I was ready to travel there, I decided that I would visit the Fighters’ Guild in the Foreign Quarter. I wanted to see whether what Berel Sala had said to me was true. I asked one of the members inside to point me to the steward of the guildhall. They told me that he was Lorbumol gro-Aglakh, an Orcish smith. I had found the Orc downstairs, he was working on a sword in his smithy, and doing heavy work next to a source of heat made him sweat. He was stinking, like most Orcs, but after my time in the Ministry of Truth I wasn’t so sensitive to that, at least not in that particular moment.</p><p>– Yes? What? – He turned towards me, and told me. From the way of his speech, I could determine that even in this regard he was a typical Orc: Not that intelligent, but got right to the point, without any small talk.</p><p>– Do you have a job for me?</p><p>– Who in Oblivion are you?</p><p>– Elisamsi, I’m a member of the guild. – I told him. Even though I actually resigned when Eydis Fire-Eye wanted me to kill a couple of egg poachers, I wanted to test whether Berel Sala told me the truth that they had even forged the records of the guild, so that it could be pretended that I was never imprisoned in the Ministry of Truth, but I trained with the Fighters’ Guild in that time period when I disappeared. The Orc put the sword down, and quickly looked at a paper that he kept nearby.</p><p>– Hmpf. When you barged in here in that damned armor, I thought that you were pulling my leg. But you are right. Yes, I have a job. Nar gro-Shagramph said he’d deliver a ring to Ranes Ienith, but he hasn’t delivered. Go talk to him and bring the Juicedaw Feather Ring to me. Nar lives in the Hlaalu canton.</p><p>I nodded, and left the Orc behind. Last time I had to deal with the Fighters’ Guild, I wasn’t particularly impressed by their ways, but I figured that it was a good opportunity that they made me a member again. After all, I might even resign as an Ordinator at one point, especially if everything the “Dissident Priests” claimed was right, and then I may have to make ends meet as a mercenary. While the only reason I asked for a job was to determine whether Serjo Sala’s claim was true, I thought that I would complete this contract, as it seemed to be a relatively quick one, and contrary to the one about the egg poachers, this one didn’t sound unethical.</p><p>I went over to the Hlaalu canton, and asked a few passers-by to tell me the location of the Orc. It turned out that he usually hanged around at the so-called “No Name Club” of the Hlaalu plaza, which had a bad reputation among the citizens, and, as I recalled, even among the Order of the Watch, due to the fact that something happened there almost every night. In front of the tavern, two persons were standing. One of them was a Dunmer, in black clothes and with a scar on his face, leaning against the wall. I wasn’t sure whether he was a bouncer, or a member of the Camonna Tong. Perhaps both. The other person was the Orc. He was dressed in a relatively normal manner, in plain clothes and at first glance had better hygiene than most Orcs.</p><p>– Are you Nar? – I asked him.</p><p>– Yes. – He replied.</p><p>– Lorbumol wants the ring back, Orc. – I told him.</p><p>– I don’t have any ring. I don’t know what you’re talking about. – He protested. As most Orcs, he was also stupid, though. He had a ring on his finger, yet he decided to lie to me, in spite of that.</p><p>– If you don’t have the ring, then what is that on your finger? That ring is not yours, you were supposed to deliver it to somebody. Perhaps you want to spend a night in a cell? Or two? Three? I’ll call my colleague over there to come here, and let’s see whose word would matter more. – I pointed at a nearby Ordinator from the Order of the Watch, who was patrolling the Hlaalu plaza.</p><p>– Fine. Take it. Never liked the stupid ring anyway. – He snapped at me, and took the ring off, and handed it over to me.</p><p>I went back to the Fighters’ Guild in the Foreign Quarter and addressed Lorbumol:</p><p>– I have the ring. – I handed it over to him.</p><p>– Good work. Here’s 100 gold, Dark Elf. Easy money. – He threw a pouch with some gold jingling inside into my hands. I caught it. – You want more orders, I got them.</p><p>– Not at the moment. – I told him, and we said goodbye to each other. I went over to the Mages’ Guild, and paid for a teleport to Sadrith Mora.</p><p>When I discussed the details of my mission with the colleague of Serjo Sala, I was informed that in every tavern of the island, there were informants of the Temple. They would know that I have information to share about the Nerevarine if I talked with the publican that I want to rent a room to the name of “Rithari.” They also overheard rumors about smaller issues that may require the attention of a member of the Order of War, and they would share those with me, providing me a pretext to travel wherever on the island my mission made it necessary. In Sadrith Mora, there were rumors that the so-called “Gateway Inn” was haunted by ghosts, therefore my presence in the city as an Ordinator was justified with the cover that the Order of War sent me there to take care of the haunting, however in reality, the Order of the Inquisition sent me to there spy on the one who claimed to be the Nerevarine, and whether I actually took care of the haunting too was irrelevant. As I walked down the streets of Sadrith Mora to find the inn, the people were amazed by my presence. Probably it was not a common sight that an Ordinator strolled around in a Telvanni settlement. I asked for directions to find the Gateway Inn, and eventually found it. I entered. The moment I entered, a Dunmer in a robe, taking a glance at my armor, snapped at me:</p><p>– Well, that took you long enough! That ghost is haunting this establishment for months now. Why didn’t you arrive sooner? I requested the Temple to send someone multiple times. Clearly, your order is too busy keeping your fancy armors shiny instead of getting things done!</p><p>– I’m not your starry-eyed apprentice, who doesn’t have better things to do than putting ghosts to rest, because my imbecile master isn’t even capable of that. I’m an Ordinator from the Order of War. I deal with Sixth House cultists, Daedra. Actually important matters. – I noticed that a month ago, I would have actually offered an explanation to this Dunmer, but after about two weeks in the Ministry of Truth, as well as because of the other trials of this period of my life, – such as the suicide of Teria in front of my eyes – I didn’t have the patience to deal with the usual arrogance of fellow Dunmer anymore. Although, it was clear that to some extent he was right. As Serjo Sala himself formulated it, the tasks that would serve as a pretext for me to travel around the island would be considered “insignificant” by the Order of War. I enjoyed seeing that this arrogant Telvanni wizard got surprised by a young girl talking back to him. – Now, where is that ghost?</p><p>– The ghost is in the South Turret bed chamber if you want look for yourself. Head upstairs, then keep heading south and up stairs to the room. It isn’t hard to drive it away. The problem is that it always comes back.</p><p>I went upstairs and entered the room. The ghost was indeed inside. I had dispatched of it with my mace. A few moments later, it appeared again, and I had to kill it again. I looked around in the room, and I couldn’t spot any extraordinary items that may have bound it to the place. It was a regular room of an inn with a bed and a few ordinary bedroom items. I went back to the mer and recalling a few of the things that I had learned during my Ordinator training, I asked him:</p><p>– Did anyone get killed or die by other means in that room, by any chance?</p><p>– No, and it’s not an old enough building either to have ghosts haunting it. Is that all the help you can offer, Ordinator? You were quite useless then.</p><p>– It could probably be solved with a soul gem and a soul trap spell. But I’d prefer not to force a poor soul into a soul gem for eternity. Or to the Soul Cairn. – I replied.</p><p>– How honorable of you. – He said, with sarcasm in his voice. – We have obviously done that already, and it kept coming back. So it’s probably not the same ghost which comes back, but a ghost. Mage-Mistress Arara Uvulas, Master Neloth’s Mouth, inspected the room, but couldn’t say why it reappears or how to stop it. Go talk to her if you like; she’s always at the Telvanni Council House.</p><p>– I’ll do that. – I told him.</p><p>– If you do that, there’s one thing we must discuss. You should buy Hospitality Papers. According to the Collective Articles of the Council of the Great House Telvanni, out-house and outlander guests in Sadrith Mora may not travel in town or speak to or conduct business with citizens, tradesmen, or publicans unless they have Hospitality Papers.</p><p>It was clear for me that the only person who actually cared about this law was he, as I could talk with people in Sadrith Mora when I asked for directions, and no one cared whether I had those papers or not. Also, in the past couple of months I passed through the city twice, without anyone giving me trouble for the lack of papers. Furthermore, there was a good banter going on between the two of us, and I couldn’t stop that, so I replied:</p><p>– And according to Mandate Thirty-Four of the Ordinator Edicts, it’s a grievous sin to vandalize Temple property. Yet the Temple of the Telvanni canton is used as a warehouse. When you respect our laws in Vivec City, I’ll respect your laws here. – I turned around and left the inn to find the Telvanni Council House. It was a huge building at the other end of the city. I entered, and a Dunmer inside informed me that the Mouths (representatives in the Telvanni Council) of the Telvanni Masters were meeting in a chamber that was only built for this reason. In the chamber, each of the Mouths were standing on a platform. They were surrounded by several mushrooms and some kind of purple, magical humming crystals. The Mouths were debating about a topic concerning magic, and one of the realms of Oblivion. I did not understand the majority of what they had said. When they had finished with that, I could address them:</p><p>– I’m looking for Mouth Arara Uvulas.</p><p>– It’s me. – One of the Dunmer women waved at me. I approached her. – Are you here to join House Telvanni? I regret to inform you that you do not meet our high standards. If you passed even the minimum requirements, perhaps we would reconsider. – She determined, by just looking at me.</p><p>– No, I’m here about the Gateway haunting.</p><p>– Ah, that. I inspected the manifestations in the South Turret bed chamber of the Gateway Inn. I examined the site thoroughly, but I found no evidence of a restless spirit or ancestral influences. – She told me what I already knew. – The ghost itself is trivial, and easily banished, but I don’t know why it reappears, or how to stop the reappearances. I can’t be sure, but my experience and intuition tells me that a Conjuration expert is involved. By that, I mean a mage skilled at summoning ghosts. That’s all I can tell you.</p><p>– Thank you. There is one more thing. – I told her.</p><p>– Speak up.</p><p>– If I wanted to bring a matter into the attention of the Telvanni council, who should I talk with?</p><p>– With us. If it’s important enough, we’ll inform our masters, and one of them may consider it in the next couple of hundred years.</p><p>– No, I mean a matter so significant that it concerns the future of Morrowind itself. And something for which I would need the agreement of every Telvanni master. – I obviously referred to the matter of becoming a Hortator.</p><p>– You should talk with my master, Master Aryon. – A young mer, standing on another of those platforms interrupted our conversation. – Although I have no idea what matter you might refer to.</p><p>– How can I gain an audience with him? – I asked.</p><p>– He wants me to deliver the skin of a Daedra to him, but I don’t have time for that now. Please take it to Master Aryon directly to Tel Vos. I don’t think that whatever you have to say to him might actually be significant, but at least that Daedra skin would be delivered, so we gain something by it. – He said, and handed over a sample of the skin of a Daedra, which was about as big as my palm. When I practiced the healer trade, I would have loved to use such an ingredient, as it was rumored that a Daedra’s skin could cure even the most serious illnesses. However, my goal was to find the Nerevarine, and if they most likely approached Master Aryon about becoming the Telvanni Hortator first, then I should gain an audience with Master Aryon, and delivering that Daedra’s skin to him was the key to that. I put the skin into my backpack and left the Telvanni Council House. While my primary goal was pursuing the Nerevarine, I didn’t want to leave Sadrith Mora without taking care of the haunting first.</p><p>I went back to the Gateway Inn, and addressed the Dunmer again:</p><p>– Do you know of any experts of conjuration in Sadrith Mora?</p><p>– Why? Do you want to learn? No one will even talk with you without Hospitality Papers!</p><p>– Mouth Arara Uvulas believes that the one responsible for this haunting must be a conjuration expert.</p><p>– And I tell you what I told her: There are no such people in Sadrith Mora.</p><p>– I see. Then maybe the ghost was summoned from outside?</p><p>– What a ridiculous idea! – He exclaimed – Hmm… wait a moment. Uleni Heleran at the Mages’ Guild at Wolverine Hall teaches Conjuration. How could I be so blind! The solution was right at our doorstep. I have to admit that this was a clever idea, Ordinator. Talk with her.</p><p>I nodded, and left the Gateway Inn. I headed back to Wolverine Hall, to the room that was used by the Mages’ Guild. A member of the guild pointed out Uleni Heleran to me. She was a Dunmer, in spite of the fact that the Mages’ Guild was an Imperial institution, and most Dunmer who wanted to pursue magic would rather join the Telvanni or be independent than join an Imperial institution. I addressed her:</p><p>– Uleni Heleran? They say that you are a conjuration expert.</p><p>– Maybe I am. – She told me.</p><p>– Then I’m placing you under arrest. I have a good reason to believe that you are responsible for the Gateway haunting. – I announced.</p><p>– The fact that I might be a conjuration expert doesn’t prove anything.</p><p>– Except that we have revealed that the ghost is summoned, not a revenant. The only one capable of summoning a ghost that returns briefly after it’s banished would be a conjuration expert. And the only person in the vicinity who might be classified as such is you. You also belong to the Mages’ Guild, in spite of being a Dunmer, which probably means that you are no friend of the Telvanni. If the haunting continues, people might get hurt.</p><p>She replied after a brief laugh:</p><p>– That squeeze-butt Angaredhel is taking it pretty hard, eh? All right, all right, no need to arrest me. That clown had me brought up before the magistrate when I first came here for not having my Hospitality Papers. But I suppose you’re right. The joke is losing its freshness. And I don’t want to get anyone hurt. Go tell Angaredhel that the Gateway haunting will end. But do me a favor, will you? Give him these ‘Ghost-Free Papers’ from me? – She took a minute or two to write a letter, and gave it to me. The letter said the following:</p><p>“*Certification of Ghost-Free Hospitality *</p><p>By Authority of the Super Extra Very Sovereign Council of Mages Without Digits Within Bowels</p><p>Hereas the Gateway Inn and all its dark and secret places have been found to be completely free of spooks, boojums, snarks, spectral goats, revenant toiletries, or cannibal vampire anchovies,</p><p>Muthsera Mistress Dunmer-from-Far-Away Mage-Lady, Lord High Inspector of Hostelry for the Town of Sadrith Mora aforesaid, does pronounce the Gateway Inn free and clean of all otherworldly, hostile, and malign entities, with the exception of the profound and displeasing odor that arises from the Prefect of Hospitality, which, despite the preternatural magnitude of its offensiveness, may well derive from altogether more mundane sources.</p><p>Signed,</p><p>Muthsera Mistress Dunmer-from-Far-Away Mage-Lady</p><p>Representing the Super Extra Very Sovereign Council of Mages Without Digits Within Bowels”</p><p>I chuckled at the letter, when I read it, as it made Dunmer pretension, especially in Great Houses, look ridiculous. It was clear that this Dunmer woman was raised in the West, and had a different way of thinking than any of us, and found many elements of our culture rather hilarious than something that must be taken seriously. Even though the Dunmer was an outlander, I had to agree with her that the mer’s fixation on the necessity of purchasing Hospitality Papers was ridiculous. I went back to the Gateway Inn, and explained to the mer, whose name was revealed to be Angaredhel, what happened, and handed the papers over. He was outraged by the letter and commented on it as such:</p><p>– The nerve of that outlander! A disgrace to her race! I’ll take care of her! – He tore the paper to pieces and then turned towards me – Thank you for getting rid of the ghost. A good day to you.</p><p>– Call me whenever you Telvanni can’t handle another ghost. – I smiled and turned around to leave the Gateway Inn. Saying that obviously was just part of the banter between us, as I had to admit that this case was hard, even if Berel Sala insisted that I would have to deal with insignificant matters as my cover. It seemed that sometimes the seemingly most insignificant matters are the most complicated. I went to the docks to catch the ship to Tel Mora, the town next to Master Aryon’s Tel Vos, in my hunt of the Nerevarine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice takes care of a Corprus monster in Tel Mora.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I arrived to Tel Mora by ship. As for the first time, when I had to cure a villager there, I noticed the same thing: There were no males around, only females. Now I was certain that it couldn’t have been a coincidence, and something prevented males from entering this town. My real goal, Tel Vos was at the other side of the bay, and the shipmaster offered to ferry me over there, however according to my cover story, I was in the vicinity because a shopkeeper named Berwen had a problem with a Corprus Stalker which entered her shop. I wanted to take care of that before I went over to Tel Vos to meet with Master Aryon. A citizen gave me directions to the shop, and I entered. Inside there was a Bosmer whom I assumed to be Berwen. I addressed her:</p><p>– Good afternoon. I’m the one the Temple sent to take care of your Corprus Stalker.</p><p>– Thank the Nine! – She exclaimed, in spite of the fact that the Tribunal Temple sent somebody to help her – I was able to trap it upstairs, but no one wants to risk disease by getting close to it.</p><p>– I want to see that. – I told her, and went upstairs. It was indeed trapped, behind some crates, in an area which seemed to be a bedroom, based on the fact there was a bed with several pillows inside, a wooden bathtub, and even a closet. The monster behaved in a similar manner, as all Corprus monsters – First, it didn’t want to attack me, but it showed signs of suffering: It held its head between its hands, as if it had some kind of headache, then it looked at me with desperation. Perhaps it was Dagoth Ur himself who gave it orders inside its head, as the next moment, it snapped and started crawling towards me to kill me. I drew my mace, but it couldn’t even climb over the crates to reach me. I was safe. It was crawling tirelessly towards me, as if the only thing that mattered was killing me, without realizing that the crates between us prevented it from doing that. When I trained as an Ordinator, I heard that according to some experts, most Sixth House creatures may have a hive mind, and are incapable of thinking on their own. The way this particular monster wanted to kill me tirelessly, without the ability to solve the problem of the crates between us, proved that theory. I left it alone, and went back to Berwen.</p><p>– I have a couple of questions. – I announced.</p><p>– Aren’t you going to take care of the Corprus Stalker first?</p><p>– It cannot harm anyone, unless they are foolish enough to climb over those crates. So, how did this monster actually end up here?</p><p>– How could I know? Perhaps I have forgotten to lock my door and it entered.</p><p>– Do you want to tell me that it left some Sixth House shrine, crawled through the wilderness, and then the whole town without anyone noticing?</p><p>– Well, you call them Corprus “Stalkers,” don’t you?</p><p>– I guess we do, although as you may have noticed, they hardly deserve that name, considering how loud and easy to notice they are. Especially their stench. Are you sure you don’t have a basement or something, from where it could come? The Sixth House digs tunnels underground all the time.</p><p>– I’m sure. Are you going to take care of it now, or not?</p><p>– Something is not right with this story. How could you trap it there?</p><p>– I used the crates to block its way.</p><p>– And what did the Corprus Stalker do until that? Twiddled its thumbs? As I’m looking at you, I see that you show no symptoms, so it didn’t attack you. Tell me your secret, we could use it when we fight with these creatures at Red Mountain. – I told her, sarcastically.</p><p>– I don’t know, okay? It just left me alone.</p><p>– And of all the places available, it came to this place. Do you know what I think? Maybe this monster is in love with you! – I teased her and laughed, perhaps for the first time since I was released from the Ministry of Truth.</p><p>– If you won’t help me, leave me alone! – She snapped at me.</p><p>– I’ll help you, but I think that you are hiding something from me. So: Either you tell me the whole story, or I’ll find it out myself. I would recommend the former, because I have better things to do, and I would get really angry if I had to spend more time with this than what is absolutely necessary.</p><p>– Just kill it then, and go to Oblivion already!</p><p>I ignored the first part of her request, and left the shop. I went over to the tavern of the town, “The Covenant.” I wanted to report my progress to the local Temple informant, acquire some information concerning the Corprus Stalker and later change my armor to my Ashlander clothes to approach Master Aryon. The tavern looked remarkable due to its Telvanni architecture. I approached the publican, and told her that I would like to rent a room and my name was “Rithari.” She showed me to my room, where I could put my backpack down. I sat onto my bed, and waited. A few minutes later, a Dunmer woman entered my room, without knocking. She closed the door behind herself and addressed me:</p><p>– Report, Rithari. – The Temple informant commanded me.</p><p>– I learned that the heretic may approach Master Aryon first, as he is the most open-minded member of the Telvanni council. I’ll head to Tel Vos, as soon as I have taken care of that Corprus Stalker. I bought a set of Ashlander clothes, and I could convince the Mouth of Aryon to give me a chore. I have a good reason to approach him, I’ll leave my armor here, will you take care of it until I return?</p><p>– Good job and good thinking! The only problem is that the heretic has already approached Aryon, and Dratha, the Telvanni Mistress of this town too. We don’t know where they may head next time, but probably to Sadrith Mora, to convince Master Neloth too.</p><p>– Damn! I just came from Sadrith Mora! I should have stayed.</p><p>– It doesn’t matter. As long as they are in Telvanni territory, we cannot make a move, in order not to break the fragile peace between the Telvanni and the Temple. Go to Tel Vos anyway, gain Master Aryon’s trust, find a reason to stay. Offer your services to Aryon, or talk with Yakin Bael, the Temple priest of Vos to give you tasks. The heretic will return there. A caravan approached Tel Vos this morning. I bribed one of the guards, and it was revealed that they were transporting the Robe of the Hortator to Aryon, the symbol of the Telvanni Hortator. If the heretic becomes the Hortator, they must return to Tel Vos to acquire the symbol as a proof of their new status. And then you’ll have an opportunity to contact the Nerevarine and gain their trust, and acquire as much information as you can.</p><p>– Good plan. If I followed the Nerevarine to Sadrith Mora, then by the time I arrive there, they would have been gone to somewhere else. It’s wiser to wait in a location that we know they would visit later.</p><p>– All right. I’ll take care of your armor, no one is going to enter your room here while you are at the other side of the bay. Any questions? – The informant asked.</p><p>– What do you know about Berwen? – I asked her – I think that something is not right about that Corprus Stalker story. Your job is spying on people for the Temple, right? Anything you know about her?</p><p>– You do realize that your real job is following the Nerevarine, right?</p><p>– Yes, but if I wanted a plausible cover story, I should complete these tasks too.</p><p>– She has a big secret. A horrible secret! She has a boyfriend!</p><p>– That’s… tragic? – My tone was somewhere between sarcastic and confused. Many Temple people preached the necessity of virtuous life, part of which was sexual abstention, so somehow I understood that this Temple informant would get outraged by that, however even by Temple standards, having a boyfriend was all right, as long as the couple either showed restraint, or were ready to marry each other in the near future.</p><p>– You don’t understand. Have you ever noticed that there are no males in this town?</p><p>– Oh yeah, I wanted to ask about that… – I told her.</p><p>– Mistress Dratha hates males, and forbids them from entering her town.</p><p>– Interesting. – I commented. What an eccentric old Telvanni wizard. I thought that all the stories were true about them and all of them were lunatics, or at least extraordinary enough to be beyond what one would consider “normal.”</p><p>– A few months ago, one of them tried to enter, he was murdered. If a female wanted to smuggle a male into the town, their punishment would be the same too, but I only heard rumors of that, I’m not an informant in this town for that long. But I know that Berwen meets with a male almost each night. They think that they are sneaky, but nothing can be hidden from Almsivi. – She smiled. – I haven’t seen him for a while, though…</p><p>– Who is this boyfriend?</p><p>– Ferndis Girith, a Dunmer. He is the brother of a trader named Athanden Girith.</p><p>I thanked the informant for telling me what she knew. We said goodbye to each other, and I left the tavern. I walked down the street of the town and entered Berwen’s shop again. I addressed her:</p><p>– So, how is Ferndis, outlander? Still up there? – I asked from her. The case was obvious to me: When I looked at the Corprus Stalker earlier, it was clear that it was a male Corprus Stalker. Interestingly, Corprus Monsters could keep some of the secondary sexual characteristics of their original self, in addition to which, their clothes which were torn by their swollen flesh sometimes also pointed out their original gender, unless the original person was a rebellious girl who liked wearing pants, or an eccentric man who wore skirts, the latter of which was not as rare in Morrowind as in other parts of Tamriel. The only way that Corprus Stalker could enter the shop without anyone noticing was if he was there from the beginning. His reluctance to attack Berwen, when she trapped him may have been a remnant of his original personality, which included love towards the woman. I assumed that Berwen didn’t want to tell me the truth, because she was afraid that I would tell Mistress Dratha about the fact that she hid a man in the town.</p><p>– What? What are you…? – She protested.</p><p>– I told you that I would find the truth out.</p><p>– Please… don’t tell Mistress Dratha about it! I can explain it. It’s forbidden to have male company in this town. Many citizens like girls, and those can be freely together in the town, but those of us who prefer men must meet with them at other settlements. I couldn’t do that, because I have a shop to run. He had to come here to meet with me…</p><p>– Do you really think I’m interested in that? – I snapped at her. I have to admit that I may have blushed a little when she talked about girls liking other girls that way… it was a thought which occurred to me when I was a teenager and discovered my body, but perhaps due to my rigorous Temple education, I could have never assumed that some girls actually do it too and that it could be anything else than a harmless fantasy. However, I really wasn’t interested in the love story between this outlander and that creature. – How did he turn into a Corprus monster, Bosmer? – I asked.</p><p>– He was a sort of… adventurer. He cleaned out smuggler caves and brought the wares to me to sell them. One day, he returned, in the middle of the night, as usual, so that no one would notice his presence, and he changed. First, only his eyes were bloodshot. Then his skin started to crack…</p><p>– I’m an Ordinator of the Temple, spare me the details, I heard and saw that enough. – I commanded her in disgust.</p><p>– Right. Sorry. His condition got worse, and couldn’t leave the building. I couldn’t call a healer either, because then it would have been revealed that I hid a man here. I didn’t know what this illness was, and I tried all kinds of home remedies, like preparing a bath with different herbs for his skin problem, and making him drink potions, but nothing helped. And then one day, he turned.</p><p>– You foolish, air headed n’wah! You buffoon! – I yelled. – To keep your secret, you jeopardized the whole town. Such a sick person as your boyfriend should either be shipped to the Corprusarium or killed, as soon as possible. Corprus is lethal and it cannot be cured! Do you know how dangerous Corprus is? It’s a miracle that you didn’t turn into a monster yourself. Home remedies? Potions? A bath? The only way you touch a Corprus victim is with the end of your mace. Out of my way! – I exclaimed, and climbed the stairs. The stairs were trembling from my feet, as I stepped onto them with my anger. I drew my mace, and it was lucky that there was a Corprus Monster around, because I was so outraged by this Bosmer, that I felt the temptation to bash her skull instead.</p><p>I bashed the monster with my shield, and then, from the safety of the crates between us, I killed him with two swings of my mace at his skull. He couldn’t reach me, because of the crates, however the mace extended my arm enough that I could reach him. He dropped dead on the floor. The only remedy for Corprus. I climbed through the crates to the other side, where the monster’s corpse was, and I put my mace away.</p><p>I started pushing the crates away to clear the way. The n’wah may have heard the commotion, as she ran up in the stairs and saw what I was doing. She exclaimed:</p><p>– What are you doing?</p><p>– What do you think? I’ll drag the carcass out from here and burn it outside. Get me a bottle of alcohol, preferably flin, and a torch.</p><p>– You can’t do that! – She protested.</p><p>– What? – I demanded.</p><p>– It can be seen that this is the corpse of a male. I would get into trouble. Please, just go away, I’ll burn him myself after nightfall. I only needed help with the killing.</p><p>– And how do you plan to burn it yourself? Do you have a full set of armor with a closed helm and gloves that protects you from the disease to at least some extent? Or are you the head of House Telvanni who could cast such a powerful telekinesis spell that would help getting the corprse outside without touching it?</p><p>– I don’t know! – She started crying in front of my eyes – But I don’t want Mistress Dratha’s wrath. A few years ago, somebody hid a boyfriend in the town, and she skinned both of them alive. Everything but that. I’d rather risk Corprus. – She was sobbing. – Please, just go away. Take anything you want from my shop, it’s yours. Take everything, if you want. All my gold! Just leave me, it’s not your problem.</p><p>– Do you think that I’m a young Telvanni girl interested in your pathetic trinkets? And you are wrong, it’s my problem, if the whole town turns into Corprus monsters due to your recklessness, and I would have to come back to kill you all. – I proceeded to drag the carcass outside.</p><p>– Please… have mercy… – she begged.</p><p>– I’m having mercy. I save you from Corprus. However you deal with Dratha is what is not my problem. – I dragged the carcass down the stairs, and through the floor, until it was outside the shop. I went back to the shop to take a bottle of flin and a torch from the outlander’s wares. I poured the flin onto the carcass, and ignited it with the torch. I went back to the shop and turned to the outlander: – Now listen to me. You are in danger. Everything your boyfriend touched must be burned. The bed, that bathtub, everything behind those crates. I’ll take those outside and put them onto the fire. Until that, you should mix a bottle of flin with a bucket of water and wash up everywhere, especially the area behind the crates, and where I dragged the carcass through. It seems that for some reason, alcohol destroys the disease. Then, just to be on the safe side, mix another bucket of water with a cure blight disease potion and wash up with that too. Corprus monsters sometimes carry different types of blight diseases too, in addition to their Corprus.</p><p>The outlander nodded, and stared at me blankly, like a person who was just sentenced to death.</p><p>– Understood? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes… yes… – She replied, and did as I asked. Outside, a few Telvanni guards inquired about the fire that I had started, and I explained everything about the Corprus Stalker. When we finished with disinfecting Berwen’s shop, I said goodbye to her, and returned to “The Covenant.” I reported to the Temple informant about what had happened, knowing that Mistress Dratha would punish this Bosmer anyway, and by the way she expressed her fear, she may have been better off if the Temple locked her up for being reckless about the Corprus disease instead of Dratha punishing her for hiding a male in Tel Mora. However, if she was wise, she wouldn’t have waited for any of that, but rather packed whatever she could, and leave the town, perhaps even the province with the next ship.</p><p>For me, the way the events unfolded were rather fortunate. I was certain that if the Nerevarine had spies or sympathizers in the town, they couldn’t possibly figure out that the blonde Dunmer girl followed the heretic, as from all the commotion that I had caused that day because of a mere Corprus Stalker, I had my intentions covered perfectly. Surely, if I only wanted to follow the Nerevarine, I wouldn’t have gone as far as to burning all the items the monster may have touched so that the disease wouldn’t spread further.</p><p>I went to my room, and took my Indoril armor off, and put my Ashlander clothes on. It was too late to ferry over the bay, so I decided that I would spend the night at the “The Covenant,” with a dinner and a cup of mazte. Following that, I though that I would take a walk at the shore. The other side of the bay, and the lights of the town of Vos and Tel Vos could be seen. It was still cold somewhat, as it was early spring only, and I was next to a body of water. I was eager to meet with a Telvanni master, so eager that I wanted to go immediately, and it felt bad that I would have to wait until the morning to ferry over there.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice visits Master Aryon, hoping that she could find the Nerevarine there. Master Aryon tells her that she is a half-vampire, and conducts experiments on her. The many wondrous things in Master Aryon’s tower. How Master Aryon tricks Alice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day, a ship ferried me over the bay to Vos. Vos would have been an unremarkable Velothi village and an average farming community built around the local Temple, if not for the Telvanni takeover. The giant mushrooms and their roots were growing around this insignificant settlement, with Telvanni guards providing security. Master Aryon even built docks and a tavern for the settlement, and a road that led to his tower, Tel Vos. I took that road, and arrived to the tower, which was unconventional even by Telvanni standards. It seemed like that the Telvanni tower was surrounded by an Imperial fort, or an imitation of an Imperial fort. I really wanted to know the origin story of this tower: Was it Master Aryon who built it in this eclectic style, because he was a bit crazy like most Telvanni masters? Or was it an abandoned Imperial fort which he took over? Perhaps he took it over by force and the Empire – which was rumored to be weak – couldn’t do anything about it?</p><p>Earlier that morning, I left my Indoril armor in Tel Mora, in my room at “The Covenant” tavern, and dressed in my Ashlander clothes. I hadn’t forgotten to bring the levitation potions over, as such a thing was necessary in Telvanni settlements, and the Daedra Skin, which served as a pretext for me visiting Aryon. I left my mace in Tel Mora, as I believed that an Ashlander girl with a huge Dwarven mace might call too much attention on herself, but brought my dagger. I never assumed that it would be enough to defend myself against a Telvanni wizard, if it came to that, even in spite of my Ordinator training, but it made me feel safe that I wasn’t completely unarmed.</p><p>I asked a Telvanni guard about the location of Master Aryon, but he dismissed me. Without my Indoril armor, dressed as a young Ashlander girl, I didn’t have the same authority in the eyes of most people, especially not the Telvanni. I figured that Aryon must have been in the central part, which was a conventional Telvanni tower, and not in one of buildings of the outer part which resembled Imperial architecture. I took my chance, and drank one of the levitation potions, and soon I’ve found myself on a little platform with a door. I opened the door and entered. Inside, an Imperial guard was waiting for me. He wasn’t from the Legion based on the uniform, he must have been a hired mercenary. Before I could open my mouth, he addressed me:</p><p>– Master Aryon is ready to receive you. Follow me. – I was amazed that he didn’t draw his weapon at me, and I didn’t have to give a long explanation for my reason being there, but that Master Aryon was ready to receive me, just like that, without any difficulties. As some people say “don’t look a gift guar in the mouth” so I nodded and followed the man inside. In a minute, we arrived to a huge room, which must have served as a throne room and a study as well, because it had a table with all kinds of alchemical ingredients, books and apparatus, and a throne-like chair on which Aryon sat, between two banners of the Empire. Once again, I wondered whether those were trophies from when he took the fort over, or he was just so eccentric, even among Telvanni wizards, that he liked the Empire enough to display their banner. The Imperial guard saluted to Aryon, and left the room with the two of us alone. Aryon himself was rather young, perhaps 35 or 40 years old. In my mind, all the Telvanni wizards were hundreds of years old. I understood that if he could climb the hierarchy of the Telvanni while being so young, he must have been exceptionally powerful and skilled. Once again, before I could open my mouth, I was addressed:</p><p>– Welcome to Tel Vos, Rithari. I hope that you like my tower.</p><p>I didn’t understand it, and I was shocked. Did he know who I was before I entered? There was a rumor I heard once from one of the drunkards at the Andus Tradehouse, that some powerful wizards could read one’s mind. Were they true? He continued:</p><p>– Now, don’t be surprised. I also have spies and friends everywhere. Not only your Temple. Can I have the Daedra skin, please? – Without saying the word, I took it out from my backpack and wanted to hand it over to him. – Just put it onto the table, thank you. – He told me, and I did as I was asked.</p><p>– Now, if you were a Telvanni retainer, I would reward you by teaching a spell, or something but considering that you are a warrior, it wouldn’t help you much. Thank you for taking care of the Corprus Stalker too. We would be in trouble without you. – He smiled. – Why are you here?</p><p>– Surely, if you know so much about me, you also know why I am here. – I replied, still under the shock that he knew so much about me.</p><p>– Well, yes, but you see, that question was not meant to be taken in a literal sense. Obviously I know your reason. The function of that sentence was to signify to you that we should “get down to business,” “get to the point,” or “let’s go beyond these formalities and not waste each other’s time.” I didn’t actually say that because I wanted you to tell me any additional information, I wanted us to get this conversation going by it. – He replied, in a fashion expected from a Telvanni wizard, even though he was way more nice and patient than I imagined he would be.</p><p>– I’m pursuing the one who claims to be the Nerevarine. – I admitted it to him, defeated by his superior intelligence, knowing that expressing it in a more euphemistic way would be in vain.</p><p>– I know that. – He told me what he already revealed. – And you’re an Ordinator, so I could figure out your intentions in case you catch them too. I wonder: Any chance that I could convince you to do otherwise?</p><p>– Serjo… – I addressed him respectfully – I don’t plan to turn against them. At least not necessarily. What I want is learning about their intentions, and whether what they claim is true, and whether what the Temple claims about them is true, and then act accordingly.</p><p>– You want to… learn? – Aryon said, with surprise in his voice, and I couldn’t determine whether that was a fake, sarcastic surprise, or a genuine one. – That is surprising from an Ordinator. If you knew anything about magic, I would say that you should become a Telvanni. Amazing.</p><p>– My mother was a Redoran. – I told him and shrugged to this proposition that couldn’t have been serious.</p><p>– All right. Listen: I don’t know whether the Nerevarine prophecies are genuine, but I don’t care. – Aryon admitted. – What I know is that this person who claims to be the Nerevarine will be good for House Telvanni and myself. As a sign of good faith, they already convinced the Ashlander tribes that they shouldn’t raid Telvanni settlements. We have trade agreements now with even the bloodthirsty Erabenimsun Tribe! There is peace now, and the roads are safe to travel – He told me. If what Master Aryon said was true then Berel Sala either lied to me, or was ignorant when he claimed that the Nerevarine would convince the Ashlander tribes to raid settlements and take slaves. I listened on to what Aryon had to say:</p><p>– If they become the Hortator, they will have to convince all the Telvanni masters. An easy task: Most of them could be convinced by some amusing small talk, or just the promise that they would go away. However, there will be one problem, Archmagister Gothren. That old stubborn fool will never agree, and the Nerevarine will have to kill him, which would be beneficial for me, as I would get one step closer to becoming the new Archmagister. And what happens after that is irrelevant, but if they can even manage to defeat Dagoth Ur, then all the Dwemer ruins of Red Mountain would be available for research purposes, so that would be an advantage too. – He claimed, ignoring the most beneficial part of a hypothetical defeat of Dagoth Ur, which was that we wouldn’t have to suffer from the Blight.</p><p>– Therefore I assume that you support the Nerevarine? – I asked him.</p><p>– Yes, it’s an advantageous situation either way. I’ll admit: My plan was taking the Daedra Skin from you and killing you. I can’t allow a Temple toad to ruin this. No offense. But since you expressed that you are willing to learn, and listen to reason, I would offer you a proposition instead.</p><p>– And what would that be? – I asked him. I couldn’t believe that I walked right into a trap!</p><p>– As I said, the Nerevarine is going to visit all the Telvanni settlements to gain the votes of the masters. But they’ll have to return here once that’s done to make their status as Hortator official. You may wait for them here, you are my guest, and when they return you can talk with them. However, you would have a price to pay for that. I want to experiment with you.</p><p>– Excuse me?! – I exclaimed.</p><p>– Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you… that much. But you are special and I want to study you. I’m so glad that I didn’t have to kill you! A half-vampire!</p><p>– What? – I asked in disbelief. What did he talk about? Half-vampire?</p><p>– Wait, you didn’t know? – He asked me in disbelief this time. – Of course, of course. The rest of Morrowind are not as open minded towards vampires, and generally quite ignorant about them. Well, yes. That’s the truth.</p><p>– I think that you’re mocking me. – I told him, even though deep inside I knew it, but perhaps I never had the courage to put the pieces of the puzzle together: My mother’s books about vampires, my pale skin, my extremely strong and sharp teeth, the way animals behaved around me, the nightmares that tormented me. It all made sense. Even that horrible moment when I accidentally swallowed the blood of my intended rapist, and I liked it.</p><p>– No! I think that the Temple mocks you by calling you Rithari. Do you know who he was?</p><p>– Yes. – I admitted.</p><p>– You might get into trouble for that. – He announced, as if it was just an irrelevant side note. – I’ll prove it to you that what I say is true. – He clapped twice with his hands, and a Telvanni guard entered.</p><p>– Serjo? – The guard asked.</p><p>– Bring me one of the Khajit slaves. – Aryon commanded him.</p><p>– Yes, Serjo. – The guard replied and left the room.</p><p>A few minutes later, a frightened Khajit slave appared, led by the guard. Aryon took a dagger from the table, and approached the Khajit. He commanded the Khajit to approach the table, and he held the slave’s paws in his hand. He put a piece of paper in front of the Khajit, and used the dagger to slightly cut his paws so that it would bleed. The Khajit hissed, and the paper collected the blood. Next, Aryon handed some kind of tube over to me.</p><p>– The Dwemer were excellent glassmakers. – He commented. – In some Dwarven ruins you might see huge tubes pointing towards the sky. When you look inside the tube, the glass inside magnifies the stars to much as if they were two meters away. This one magnifies small things. Look at the blood with it! – He commanded me. I did as I was asked. I put one end of the tube to my eye, and pointed the thing at the paper.</p><p>– I see small red dots. – I described it as well as I could.</p><p>– Right. That’s blood. For your eyes they seem to be a liquid, but with these Dwemer glasses you see them for what they actually are. Now, may I? – He pointed at my hand with the dagger, as I wasn’t his slave, he had the courtesy to ask for my permission. I nodded, and he cut my hand so that some blood would drop to the paper. – Look into the tube! – He told me.</p><p>I saw that there were more little red dots than previously. I noticed that some of the red dots were moving towards some of the other red dots, and made them disappear.</p><p>– My blood is eating the Khajit’s blood! – I exclaimed.</p><p>– Indeed. That’s vampirism. However, real vampires crave blood, and get weak if they don’t get it, because their blood cells start eating each other. They must constantly drink blood to satisfy their hunger. As a half-vampire, you lack this hunger, and under normal circumstances your blood functions as normal, boring mortal blood, but if you drank blood, your blood would eat it, and it would make you stronger, like any real vampire. – He commented. He was right, I felt that my intended rapist’s blood gave some of my energy back which I lost during the tortures. – Well, what is your initial reaction? – He asked me, casually.</p><p>– My initial reaction? – I inquired.</p><p>– Why, yes. It’s an important part of research to document a participant’s reaction, and I would be interested in how it feels when it is revealed that one is related to vampires.</p><p>– Well… my mother had several books about vampires. I wonder if… she knew. Or if she is one of them actually. They say that she died giving birth to me. We are Ashlanders, but living in the cities. Since we don’t have ancestral tombs, they bury us in Imperial crypts, without burning our corpses. I wonder if she is out there somewhere…</p><p>– Is that all? – Aryon asked. – I anticipated that you would want to commit suicide, due to your commitment to the Temple. Most interesting! – He remarked, once again in a most casual manner.</p><p>– My commitment to the Temple is… complicated, and well, actually I hoped that it would mean that I’m immortal. I always feared death.</p><p>– Not even real vampires are immortal, girl. But I like your rebellious side. The Temple is not right for you.</p><p>– They are not? – I asked in disbelief.</p><p>– Of course not. They are dogmatic, not curious and open minded like you. They view vampirism a curse. And if they knew your secret, they would kill you on the spot.</p><p>– I mean, aren’t vampires immortal? – I clarified my question.</p><p>– Oh. Well, that’s a hypothesis. But we don’t have enough data to prove or disprove that.</p><p>I looked at Aryon, clueless. I didn’t understand what he meant by that. He sighed and told me:</p><p>– So what is the definition of “immortal?”</p><p>– One who lives forever? – I attempted to answer.</p><p>– Right. So we cannot know. Some vampires live for thousands of years now, but it only means that they live longer than most mortals. It doesn’t prove that they live forever.</p><p>– I wonder about something else: What would happen if a real vampire bit me? – I inquired.</p><p>– Girl! If I cared enough for another apprentice, and you showed any talent in magic, I would make you join House Telvanni right away! That kind of scientific curiosity is what we like. However, I don’t know any real vampires who would be able to come here to help us experiment with that. But I promise to you, that besides the question whether you are immortal or finding out what would happen if a real vampire bit you, we would test everything else about what it means to be a half-vampire, and I’ll share the data with you. – He announced. – Where did your mother live, by the way?</p><p>– Maar Gan, in the first house next to the silt strider port. – I replied. – Where I live.</p><p>– Then I’ll ask my friends in House Redoran to find out more about her life for you.</p><p>– Do you have “friends” in House Redoran too? – I asked. I wondered how much did he find out about me through his spies.</p><p>– Girl, I even have a friend in Venim manor. – He smiled.</p><p>I spent the next week at Tel Vos. Aryon made it sure that I would be treated as his guest by the retainers. I got a room and a meal every day, and I was free to move around in the tower, talk with the retainers, and trade with them if I wanted. All Aryon required from me was showing up in his study every day, to do some experiments, until the Nerevarine returned.</p><p>The first experiment that he wanted to do was concerning my ability to drink blood, and whether my teeth were capable of biting anyone, in a way a real vampire’s teeth were. Aryon commanded me to bite the neck of a Khajit slave and drink his blood. Even though when I accidentally swallowed blood, I enjoyed it, I felt that I had to resist the temptation of doing that again, as such a thing was still despicable and a sin for me. We had a long argument about it, during which I told him everything about my adventure with the jailer of the Ministry of Truth, and how I felt that his blood made me stronger, and pleaded him not to make me do that. He sighed, noted down what I had said as “anecdotal evidence” and we moved on to the next experiment, about how the sun affected me. It was obvious that it didn’t hurt me, however Aryon made me complete several physical activities, such as running, or sparring with one of his soldiers, as well a test measuring my intelligence by asking me questions about various topics, such as history and geography, both during the day and the night. Aryon claimed that “a 10% increase of performance was noted during the night experiment,” or in other words the sun made me slightly weaker and I could perform better at night. I realized that it may have been one of the reasons while back in Maar Gan I felt like sleeping at the day, and I always wanted to stay up at night. It was an extremely useful knowledge for me, because it meant that – if possible – I should fight during the night for a higher chance of survival. Following that, we tested whether I resisted paralysis magic, which real vampires did, according to Aryon. He cast a spell on me. I didn’t resist it, and I stood still like a statue for long minutes. Aryon also tested whether I would resist common diseases by rubbing infected pieces of fabric into a small wound that was caused specifically for this reason. I could resist those diseases, and I didn’t show any symptoms during the days I was in Tel Vos. When I worked as a healer, I always assumed that it was only my carefulness which made it possible that I never caught any disease from the sick, but as it turned out, I resisted diseases, at least their common variants. Next, he made a Telvanni guard attack me with a simple iron sword, which I had to allow. According to Aryon, vampires were resistant towards damage caused by “normal weapons” – anything that is not enchanted, or made from some special material such as ebony, glass or silver – however, just like my previous experiences as an Ordinator pointed it out, the sword did damage me, and a healer had to be called. I was also observed during my sleep. It turned out that I could sleep normally, like any mortal, and my body could regain its power normally, however – as I experienced it myself previously – sometimes I was tormented by nightmares, all of which I had to describe to Aryon in detail. Aryon mentioned that vampires are extremely weak against any fire-based spells, but we couldn’t have done an experiment on that, because I was a Dunmer after all, who can withstand most of the fire-based spells normally, so any data gained by such an experiment might not be purely a result of my half-vampire status, but a result of my heritage as a Dunmer, and the topic of “The effects of fire damage spells on Dunmer individuals with vampirism” was “outside the scope” of Aryon’s research interest.</p><p>When we weren’t doing experiments, I visited the two “museums” of Aryon in Tel Vos: The Dwemer museum and the Imperial museum, and read books in his library. The Dwemer museum was a remarkable place. I never entered a Dwemer ruin in my life, and I was curious about the life of this ancient civilization. The museum displayed several pieces of their armor, weapons and household items, but what was even more interesting that it also displayed blueprints of their inventions, and an actual example of one of their invention: A replica of a human or an elf, made out of metal, which was animated and moved around, with steam coming out from it. I was overwhelmed by that sight. Did it have a soul? Could the Dwemer make a bunch of metal come alive? Or was it just a trick? What powered it? I had several questions, and I wanted answers for them, but not even Aryon could help me with that. Only one thing was certain: The Dwemer people were way more advanced than we were, and they created wondrous things, especially considering Aryon’s tale earlier about the huge tube that brought the starts closer, or the smaller tube which I saw with my own eyes, and which showed that magnified blood was not simply a liquid, but rather several small red dots, all of them alive on their own. I was so angry at the Temple for telling us that the Dwemer were “profane!” Such a desire to learn, such an ability to create these things couldn’t have been profane.</p><p>Aryon’s other museum was the “Imperial museum,” which provided an insight into Imperial culture, showing once again their everyday objects, weapons, armors, and some examples of their literature. Sadly, as an – unwilling – subject of the Empire, I experienced all of that, and thus it was less impressive for me than the Dwemer museum. However, it also had an Imperial legionnaire exhibited. He was an Imperial man in Legion armor, who was locked in a cell, for the visitors of the museum to see. I wasn’t sure whether he was an actor paid by Aryon to sit there, or a real legionnaire, who got imprisoned by Aryon. And if he was a real member, I wondered whether Aryon captured him when he conquered the fort (which was one of my theories concerning the origins of the place) or just an unlucky thief or spy who got caught. I tried to initiate conversation with the Imperial, but he refused to talk with me, and when I asked about the origins of Tel Vos from Aryon, he told me that I would have to figure all of that out myself.</p><p>In Aryon’s library, I had found several interesting books, however I didn’t have a lot of time to read them all, due to the short time I spent in Tel Vos. One book captured my attention, as it was written in a language which was neither Tamrielic nor Dunmeris. What I assumed to be the title (larger text at the beginning of the book) was “N’Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!”</p><p>I couldn’t understand a single word of that book, but I was curious about it, so I asked Aryon about the content of the book. He replied to me as such:</p><p>– Do, vi estas alia lernanto de la sloada lingvo. Plezuron! – He said.</p><p>– What? – I asked from him, with a smile on my face which may have expressed a confusion similar of the most ignorant outlander, who never read any book before coming to Morrowind, and got offended by our ways.</p><p>– So, you are another learner of the Sloadic language. A pleasure to meet you. That’s what I said. – Aryon announced.</p><p>– Was that Sloadic? What is that book about? – I asked. I recalled that I heard about this language from somebody else at one point, but I didn’t remember the details of that well.</p><p>– Not something your Temple would appreciate, let’s leave it to that. – Aryon smiled.</p><p>– The Temple wouldn’t appreciate anything here. – I admitted. – I feel like I was locked in a cave so far, and this is the first time I see the sunlight. I was so ignorant of so many things!</p><p>– Learning Sloadic is quite easy… well, at least it was easy for me, but I’m a Telvanni wizard. They are a very logical, very pragmatic nation, and so is their language. – He wanted to continue, but then a Telvanni soldier entered his room.</p><p>– Serjo! The Nerevarine is back!</p><p>– Tell them to come in. And tell the mer to bring me the Robe of the Hortator at once! – Aryon commanded.</p><p>The soldier nodded, and Aryon turned to me:</p><p>– The news will spread like magefire, all around the Empire. From the Elder Council to the iron fortress of Orsinium, from the deserts of Elsweyr to the last pathetic fishing village of Skyrim, everyone shall hear it: House Telvanni has chosen a Hortator again! – He announced, in a perhaps theatrical manner. – And you? We had fun together, but it’s over. You are still an Ordinator, and I won’t let you ruin it. In spite of your open mindedness, I don’t trust you. Be happy that I let you live, and do whatever you want with the knowledge that you gained here. – Before I could open my mouth, he cast a spell on me.</p><p>Everything went black around me, as if I was taken out from time and space. Did he teleport me somewhere? But where? Into the Void? I had no doubts that such a highly skilled Telvanni Master would have been capable of that. A few seconds later, I dropped on the floor. But it was not the floor of Tel Vos. I was in a Redoran building. A hut. I looked around, with my head hurting from the spell. It was my hut! He teleported me back to Maar Gan! The Nerevarine was at Tel Vos in that moment, ready to be inaugurated as their Hortator, and while I was standing in the middle of my hut, confused, most of my equipment – my armor, and my mace – was in “The Covenant” of Tel Mora!</p><p>I wanted to leave my hut immediately, but of course even my keys were in Tel Mora, so I was locked inside the building.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice slays Raxle Berne with the help of her fellow Ordinators and the Guild of Vampire Hunters.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I didn’t have a spare key in my hut, and I couldn’t break down the door either, due to the fact that it opened inwards. I didn’t have any means to teleport away, so I screamed and banged on the door, hoping that somebody would hear me. In a few minutes, I heard some people talking in front of my hut. I remembered them saying “A burglar broke into Alice’s hut,” and I tried explaining that it was me, but it was too late. Immediately, a couple of Redoran guards arrived, and broke down the door. As they realized their mistake, they tried apologizing to me, and explaining their mistake, but I reassured them that it was all right, I locked myself in the hut (there was no point explaining to them that a Telvanni wizard teleported me inside) and I was screaming and banging on the door to be allowed out, and the one who reported me as a burglar made an honest mistake. A small crowd of citizens and guards gathered in front of my hut. There wasn’t a locksmith in Maar Gan, but the caravaner told me that he would go to Ald-ruhn, and tell a locksmith to come here so that my door would be repaired in a few days. As I didn’t have my armor and mace with me either, I was forced to stay in my home town for a couple of days, until those could be recovered. I could have used my mother’s old equipment, however my encounter with the Dremora at Ald Sotha taught me that I shouldn’t. A guard was posted before my hut, and I had to rent a room in the Andus Tradehouse for the time being.</p><p>In the Andus Tradehouse, I rented a room from my former employer, Manse Andus. I wanted to contact the local Temple informant to report on my situation, so I told her that I wanted her to write into the guest book that my name was “Rithari.” If she asked why, when my real name was “Elisamsi,” I would have said something along the lines of it being a nickname of mine, which I grew fond of. However, instead of that, she told me the following:</p><p>– Are you “Rithari?” – She looked around, and lowered her voice. – I could have never guessed! You, of all people?</p><p>– Wait… are you the Temple informant here? – I asked in surprise.</p><p>– It’s a nice extra income. And if there must be an informant in every tavern of this island, then in my establishment, I’ll be the one. – She announced in pride. I was disgusted by the fact that somebody so close to me informed on the citizens of Maar Gan, including myself, to the Inquisition. Could nobody be trusted? It became even more certain to me that while on the surface Morrowind seemed to be a relatively free society, where only the weak and ineffective Empire could have been considered as unwanted oppressors, actually the Temple controlled every aspect of life, they had informants everywhere and kidnapped people, tortured them. – Since we are friends, I would give you the best room, but I’m afraid that it is occupied by Miles Gloriosus at the moment.</p><p>– Don’t tell me he’s still here! – I giggled.</p><p>– He pays me well. – She shrugged. – So, what do you have to report?</p><p>– The Nerevarine has become the Telvanni Hortator. I anticipate that the rumors are going to spread. I lost most of my equipment. It is in a room of the tavern of Tel Mora.</p><p>– We’ll recover your equipment and have it delivered here. The heretic’s Telvanni Hortator status changes a lot. Stay in the tradehouse, and in a few days, you’ll have your new orders.</p><p>I did as I was asked, and got forced into a vacation for a few days, until my door got repaired, my equipment got recovered, and the Temple figured out our next step. That night, the people at the Andus Tradehouse already talked about the Nerevarine gaining the Telvanni Hortator status. This was the first time I experienced the people being hopeful about the Nerevarine managing to unite the factions and defeating both Dagoth Ur and the Empire. Those who considered them a heretic who must be killed were a minority in that moment. I wondered if Manse Andus reported the reactions of the people to the rumors, and whether that would have consequences later for these people who felt safe talking about these issues. The next day, I though that I would visit my friend, Tralas Rendas. He was in the middle of teaching a lesson about Almsivi to some children. When he finished, I addressed him:</p><p>– Tralas! I haven’t seen you for a long time. – We embraced each other.</p><p>– What brings you here, Alice? I’m so happy to see you! I heard that you were working for the Fighters’ Guild and then went on to kill the enemies of Almsivi. – He referred to the cover story which was told to everyone about the time I was in the Ministry of Truth, and the other cover story which gave me a pretext for following the Nerevarine.</p><p>– I hoped that you would do me a favor. It may sound strange, but I insist. – I told him.</p><p>– All right… – He hesitated.</p><p>– I want to open the sarcophagus on my mother. – I explained.</p><p>– What? Why?</p><p>– Because I have never seen her face, and I’m interested in how my own mother looked like. – I told him, but the real reason was of course determining whether she was still there, or actually became a vampire, and escaped the crypt.</p><p>– That is a sacrilege. And her body probably already decayed, in spite of the cold down in the Imperial Crypt. It has been 19 years!</p><p>– 18. – I corrected him.</p><p>– It’s closer to 19 now. I forbid it!</p><p>I got outraged by his tone.</p><p>– You can’t forbid it, village priest, I’m an Ordinator. I outrank you now. – I stated the facts.</p><p>– Really? This is how you treat your old friend now?</p><p>– Look, I’ll just open it, and then close it immediately. All I need is one glimpse.</p><p>– You have changed, Alice. – He told me, coldly.</p><p>I left him, and the shrine. I went to the backyard of the building, and passed next to the Redoran watchtower. In the backyard of the shrine, there was a simplistic tomb, without any ornaments. It was Maar Gan’s Imperial Crypt, where they buried all the outlanders and those Ashlanders who lived inside the cities. There were four methods of burial in Vvardenfell. One of them were family tombs. Most Dunmer had a family tomb either on the island, or on the mainland. After their death, their bodies were burned and their ashes were put into an urn, which was placed in the family tomb. Rich families could allow themselves to constantly expand the tomb and put the urns of each family member onto a pedestal. Poorer families, who only had the opportunity to keep up a small ancestral tomb, had to select which urns to keep. They mostly kept the urns of the most famous, most successful members, and the most recently deceased ones. The ashes of the rest were thrown into a common ash pit inside the tomb. The establishment of the Great Ghostfence somehow complicated this matter, as it became the duty of every family to bring the remains of some of their deceased to either the Ghostgate or to Necrom in the mainland instead of the family tomb, so that they could power the Ghostfence. The second method of burial was the practice of Ashlanders who still lived in their tribe. They didn’t burn the corpses of their deceased, but mummified them and put them into caves with their personal belongings. The third was the method of outlanders, who neither mummified nor burned the corpses, but simply put them into a coffin or a sarcophagus inside an Imperial Crypt. As I already mentioned, settled Ashlanders – due to the lack of a family tomb, and the unwillingness of the tribes to take care of them – got buried in the same manner. As the Empire faced many troubles in that period, and as the local Dunmer Great Houses didn’t want to take care of these crypts, they have fallen into disrepair throughout the decades. The fourth way was how outlaws got buried. If they died at sea (pirates) or lived near the coast, they threw their corpses into the sea for the slaughterfish to eat, otherwise, they were left in the wilderness so that the various wild animals, such as rats, cliff racers, or kagouti could eat their remains. If they died inside a city, or somewhere else where the animals couldn’t come, they burned them on the spot, however instead of putting their ashes into urns, they just allowed the wind to carry the ashes away, as if they never existed.</p><p>I entered the Imperial Crypt. It was dark inside, I could barely see. The state of disrepair this place has fallen into could be clearly observed. The walls were weathered, and I could clearly hear the presence of rats. I descended deeper and deeper, until I stumbled upon the sarcophagus of my mother. I collected my strength to slightly remove the lid. What I had seen inside frightened me: A decaying corpse of a person who died 18 years ago and an unbearable stench. I quickly closed the sarcophagus. How could I be so stupid? Perhaps I hoped that she would be a vampire and come for her daughter? But she wasn’t, she was just a dead person. I was alone in this world with my secret.</p><p>I said a prayer for her soul’s salvation and asked the ancestors to forgive me for disturbing the dead. I left the crypt. A few days had passed, and my door got repaired, and somebody arrived from Tel Mora too to deliver my armor and mace. New rumors started to spread in the Andus Tradehouse in the meantime: It turned out that the Nerevarine really impressed some members of the Redoran Council, and they used their influence to convince the rest to accept them as their Hortator. However, Bolvyn Venim resisted, and they were going to have a duel to the death. With that, the Nerevarine already had House Telvanni and the majority of House Redoran in their pocket, all that remained was defeating Venim and convincing House Hlaalu. Manse Andus told me that some of the Temple clergy now also considered negotiating with the Nerevarine, but the Order of the Inquisition decided to make one last attempt to hunt them down before that. As the Nerevarine’s duel with Venim would take place in the Arena of Vivec, and because the majority of the Hlaalu Council also resided there, it was certain where we should focus our forces at. She told me that every road leading to Vivec would be watched by Ordinators, as well as every settlement which offered either silt strider or boat transport to Vivec. Ordinators would also take over the Mages’ Guild of Vivec to see who tried to enter the city by their teleport service. As the idea that I should be an individual spy who followed the Nerevarine failed, I should just be part of this operation and go to Molag Mar to oversee the traffic of ships and silt striders that went to Vivec.</p><p>I went to Ald-ruhn with the silt strider, teleported to Vivec with the Mages’ Guild and took a ship to Molag Mar. As we expected that the Nerevarine would have a lot of sympathizers among the commoners, and perhaps among Great House members too now, we had to be careful not to make it too obvious that we were waiting for the Nerevarine, and we tried to blend in with those Ordinators that were working in Molag Mar’s Order of the Watch, and patrolled the streets and escorted pilgrims. Since I was officially in the Order of War, it would have been too obvious if I did any of that, so I had to report for duty to the local Temple Master, Tharer Rotheloth, in order to acquire a pretext for me staying in Molag Mar. I went to the Temple, and addressed my old acquaintance:</p><p>– Serjo, Curate Elisamsi from the Order of War, reporting for duty.</p><p>– One duty of the Temple is to bring justice to Necromancers wherever we may find them. We have heard of a Necromancer known as Delvam Andarys. – He got right to the point, perhaps he didn’t know about my real mission there, or perhaps he did, but played the role of a priest who just sends an Ordinator out to a holy mission.</p><p>– Tell me more about him, Master. – I asked him.</p><p>– Delvam Andarys is in Mawia, which is southeast of Molag Mar. From here, follow the river to the east as it heads south. It is not far before it opens into a lake. Turn east again and look for an island just south of the coast. Go there, find Delvam Andarys, and make certain that he does not escape the justice of the Temple.</p><p>I nodded, and left the Temple. I was certain that since several members of the Inquisition worked in Molag Mar in that period to see if the Nerevarine would approach Vivec from there, a confrontation would have been inevitable, if they did. Perhaps if I was lucky, they would have arrived when I was out in Mawia, and I would manage to stay out of the fight. I left Molag Mar, passed next to the silt strider, and followed Serjo Rotheloth’s directions. Soon, the Molag Amur region disappeared behind me, and I arrived to the way more pleasant Azura’s Coast Region. I spotted what I assumed to be Mawia. It was a Velothi tower, an ancient building used by our ancestors, the Chimer.</p><p>I entered, and the sight wasn’t pleasant. I saw several skulls on pikes along the corridors. However, enduring that sight was actually a bigger challenge than the fight itself. As I walked through the corridors, perhaps I encountered one ghost and two skeletons. Nothing that I couldn’t handle at that point.</p><p>In the main room of the Velothi tower, I encountered the necromancer himself. He wasn’t a challenge either, without any armor defending him, and only wearing a robe. He recited something under his nose, as he spotted me, which I assumed to be a spell to summon some kind of monster on me, but I didn’t hesitate: I rushed at him, and bashed his skull with my mace, before he could finish the summoning. He dropped dead on the floor. I looked around, and it seemed that he had an Argonian corpse – perhaps a former slave – surrounded by candles at the edge of the room. Perhaps I just interrupted a ritual which would have made him undead, and possibly attacking me too after the necromancer reanimated him.</p><p>As I was alone in this mission, I thought that I would take a look at the fallen necromancers’ possessions, especially his books. However, I wanted to avoid taking any of them, as I didn’t want to spend another couple of weeks at the Ministry of Truth. I took a glimpse at the titles, and decided that if any of them would contain anything about vampires, I would read the relevant parts on the spot. I indeed found a book titled Legions of the Dead, which provided information on undead, and had a chapter dedicated to vampires. I read that chapter right away, but it only contained what I already could determine from Master Aryon and the books of my mother: That vampires were generally hated, and the Temple hunted most of them down, but there may be some of them alive hidden far away from mortal eyes. Interestingly, it also mentioned briefly the so-called “ash vampires,” which were creatures of Dagoth Ur, and had nothing to do with real vampires, and no one knew anything tangible about them. I started a fire outside, and burned the corpres, as well as all the heretical items and books of the necromancer. The useful loot which I was supposed to return to the Temple included an enchanted ebony shortsword, a ring with a healing enchantment, some gold, and a couple of widely available, inoffensive books, such as Mysterious Akavir. I decided that I would keep that useful ring for myself, because there were no witnesses, and I believed that the Temple owed me this much for torturing me, and hand the rest of the things over to them, as usual. I put the items into my backpack, and went back to Molag Mar. In the Temple, I addressed Serjo Rotheloth:</p><p>– Serjo, the necromancer is dead. It seemed that he was only a novice. He didn’t put up much of a fight.</p><p>– Nevertheless, you have done the Temple a great service. The novices of today will be the masters of tomorrow. – He commented. I proceeded to hand over the gold, the books and the ebony shortsword to him, which I had found in the Velothi tower. I didn’t say anything about the ring. When we had finished with that, he continued: – Now, I have more urgent duties for you.</p><p>– More urgent duties? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes. I know that it is an unwritten rule to give a few days off to an Ordinator who just returned from a mission, during which they would only be expected to train, but it’s really urgent, and I need everybody available.</p><p>I wondered what that was about. Perhaps something about the Nerevarine? Will they come here, and a battle is going to take place? I listened to what the mer had to say. He continued:</p><p>– The Guild Of Vampire Hunters had found a vampire lair known as Galom Daeus, where Raxle Berne himself resides.</p><p>– Is there a Guild of Vampire Hunters in Morrowind? – I asked. All the heretical books of my mother claimed that since the Temple claimed to have exterminated most of the vampires in Vvardenfell, we did not have vampire hunter organizations like people in the West.</p><p>– They’re just a group of loud mouths operating out of the backroom of a pawn shop in Vivec. Or so we thought, up to this point. However, it seems that they have located the lair of Raxle Berne, and our scouts confirmed their information.</p><p>– And who is Raxle Berne? – I asked. The heretical books of my mother talked about the Berne Vampire Clan, but there was no way I could reveal my knowledge on that to a Temple priest. I assumed that Raxle Berne was a vampire from that clan.</p><p>– He is the leader of the Berne Clan, one of the vampire clans of Vvardenfell. – the mer said, confirming my information. – He is ancient. I could gather two dozen Ordinators for this task, they are outside. We simply cannot fail this task. The Guild of Vampire Hunters also sent three people. Vampires are tough, and even though we have more warriors than they do, we might still fail. For this reason, I want to give you the traditional garb of Temple vampire hunters too. – He pointed at a chest. I opened it, and inside, there was a Daedric Warhammer, a ring and a belt.</p><p>– The belt has a simple restore health enchantment, the ring prevents vampires from biting you, and the Daedric Warhammer has a powerful fire damage enchantment, which vampires are weak against, as well as a sharp end which serves as a stake. As you learned it during your training as an Ordinator, it’s not enough to kill a vampire, you must also pierce through their heart with a stake, or similar. These are not gifts, mind you. We give these items out for those Ordinators who hunt vampires. You should return the items once you’re done. Go outside, the soldiers are waiting for you. Since you have done an excellent work for the Temple so far, I want to give you the chance to be the second in command in this mission, with the leader being Ano Vando.</p><p>I gave a few swings to the warhammer, and put on the belt and the ring. Just to be on the safe side, I also put on my robe with the restore health enchantment which I bought in Caldera months ago. I left the Temple and found the group of Ordinators talking with each other. Among them, there were three people, whom I assumed to be the “Guild of Vampire Hunters.” A Dunmer male in iron armor, with an enchanted iron mace and an enchanted ebony shield, a Dunmer female in leather armor and a crossbow, and a similar Nord woman. After asking some of the mer, it turned out that Ano Vando was one from the “Guild,” and not an Ordinator (I should have figured that out myself, as he had a real name instead of a code name). He was the one in iron armor. He must have been really competent if the Temple allowed him to lead this mission.</p><p>– Ano Vando? – I addressed him. – I’m Rithari, your second in command.</p><p>– Is this a bad joke? – He asked. – Rithari?</p><p>– Did I say something wrong? – I asked, pretending not to know who “Rithari” was, with the Temple having spies everywhere. As I was officially in the Order of War, but actually reported to the Order of the Inquisition, and due to the general situation concerning the Nerevarine, I was certain that among the two dozen Ordinators there were others who also worked for the Inquisition in secret, therefore I couldn’t react in any different way than pretending to be ignorant on the meaning of that name.</p><p>– It’s a code name, Ano. – The Dunmer woman in leather armor told him. – Ordinators have code names. I was an Ordinator too, I know.</p><p>Ano Vando turned towards me after the Dunmer woman’s explanation:</p><p>– All right. But never let their disease flow through your veins. Or I will find you. – He threatened me. I wasn’t sure whether it was an empty threat, but I assumed that if he was in charge of such an important mission, he would have the capacity to recognize a real vampire, or even a half-vampire. I felt lucky that my Indoril armor, and my robe covered my whole body, so my sharp teeth and pale skin wasn’t revealed. He continued: – Just tell your golden boys not to be in the way when we do your job.</p><p>We left Molag Mar, together. The two dozen Ordinators followed me, and the two women from the “Guild” followed Ano Vando. We walked through the Molag Amur region for long hours. We passed next to the Erabenimsun Camp. They didn’t attack us. I wasn’t sure whether it was because of what Master Aryon had said about them becoming peaceful, or simply the fact that we were two dozen Ordinators and a couple more capable warriors. Soon, we also arrived next to a building site. Somebody was building a Telvanni tower near the Erabenimsun Camp. I concluded that Master Aryon must have been right then, as those savage Ashlanders now even allowed the Telvanni to build up a tower in their land, without harassing them. Ashlanders and Telvanni united under the flag of an outlander. Who would have thought! Following that, we arrived to Galom Daeus. I was glad when it was determined that it was a Dwemer ruin, as ever since I saw Master Aryon’s museum, and some of their inventions, I really wanted to see one of those. It even had the big tube pointing towards the sky and magnifying the stars! We entered, and proceeded in wedge formation. A vampire immediately attacked us, but the former Ordinator from the “Guild” shot a bolt out from her crossbow, which pierced though her heart. She staggered, and fell into the lava pool inside the ruin. It seemed that the Dwemer people had lava pools inside their ruins, and used the energy of the heat to power their elaborate machines. They were still running, a millenium after their disappearance. How amazing!</p><p>– Be on your guard. – The ex-Ordinator commented. – It won’t always be as easy.</p><p>As we proceeded in the Dwemer ruin, I heard a voice. It was the voice of a male. “Kill him!” – it said. I thought that I was just imagining that, so I ignored it. But then the voice addressed me again. “Crush the bones of Raxle, and let that fool’s spirit come to me!”</p><p>– Excuse me, what did you say? – I asked Ano, as we were walking through the corridors of the Dwemer ruin, looking for hidden vampires.</p><p>– I didn’t say anything. – He said, dryly. I noticed that the Dwemer ruins also had lights, which worked in a different manner than the lights that we knew, such as candles or torches. They were glowing, not burning. I wondered if the machines powered them with the heat of the lava pools running underneath the ruin. The voice once again addressed me: “I was watching you. If you fail, we shall have fun, you half-vampire whore!”</p><p>– What did you just call me? – I turned towards Ano, shouting from my rage, pointing the Daedric Warhammer at him.</p><p>– Calm down! – The Nord and the Dunmer women stepped between us. In that moment, we heard the voice of one of the vampires shouting “Alarm!” and we knew that we should rather storm this place instead of carefully moving room to room, and killing them one by one. We checked each room and cleared them out. We killed eight more vampires, and two Dwemer machines that the vampires somehow managed to bring under their control. Their dozens of cattles – slaves kept for blood – also turned against us, being under the influence of the vampires, but they couldn’t put up much of a fight. As we killed more of the vampires, we noticed that some of the cattle actually sided with us and yelled “Free at last!” as they turned against their masters, however of course they couldn’t be equal in a fight against them either. By the time we arrived to the last room, which was the Dwemer observatory, with the huge tube pointing towards the stars, we lost 20 Ordinators in the fight. Only five of us remained, and the three people from the “Guild.” The voices inside my head continued tormenting me, and urging me to kill Raxle Berne. Whenever somebody died on either side- Ordinator, vampire, or cattle – he laughed hysterically as one who enjoyed the show that we were putting up. In one of the rooms I had found a statue of Molag Bal, the one who was rumored to be the creator of vampires, and I crushed it with my warhammer. The voices stopped. Was it Molag Bal who spoke to me? Raxle Berne was inside the last room. I told two of the Ordinators to check every other room once again just to make sure that no one would escape. I entered with the two other Ordinators and the three people from the “Guild.”</p><p>– Your smell. I knew it! Finally Volrina had the guts to send somebody to kill me! – The vampire addressed me as I entered.</p><p>– Volrina? – I asked.</p><p>Ano Vando, and the others entered behind me, and instead of replying, Raxle Berne just showed his teeth and hissed at them. The two women from the “Guild” were ready to fire their crossbows, but Berne, with supernatural speed appeared before them and simply torn them apart before they could do that. The rest of us drew our weapons and attacked him with our combined strength. Eventually, we managed to make him drop to the floor. It was up to me now to use the pointy end of the warhammer and execute him. However, I missed his heart by an inch, and he pushed me aside, ready for fighting again. He killed one of the Ordinators before we could overpower him again. I couldn’t pierce through his heart again, he got up before that. One more Ordinator down, and only Ano and I remained. I used the magic inside my robe, my belt and my ring to keep myself alive because I knew that I would be the next. He bashed Ano’s shield with his dagger. It cracked, it seemed that the vampire had the power to ruin an ebony shield. I bashed his skull with my warhammer, and he dropped on the floor. I knew that this was my last chance, so I pierced through his heart as precisely as I could. I managed to do it, right in the moment when the two Ordinators I sent to check the other rooms entered. Berne’s eyes, which reflected the lights of the room turned black. Raxle Berne was dead. Just to be on the safe side, I took his dagger and cut his head off too. Ano agreed to help us with the usual procedure of throwing corpses, and other unholy items into the lava pools.</p><p>– He thought that we were sent by Volrina, how strange. – Ano commented.</p><p>– Who is that? – I asked.</p><p>– Volrina Quarra, the leader of the Quarra Clan. – He replied. Berne said something about “my smell.” Perhaps my father – it couldn’t have been my mother, as it turned out – was from this Quarra Clan, and that’s why he thought that somebody came from the Quarra Clan to hunt him down? I wondered why did my mother choose a vampire as her companion, and whether my father was still alive somewhere out there. Deep inside my heart, I hoped that I could find him and we could become a family once again, but I knew that if he was alive, he must have been evil, like most vampires, who would kill me. After all, he left me alone and hadn’t ever visited me in my life, had he?</p><p>We had spent days burning everything, (the most unsettling of which were several vials of blood, that Ano Vando explained they got from their cattle) and finding every treasure that this vampire stronghold hid. I sent one of the Ordinators back to Molag Mar as a courier to tell our success to the Temple and that they should send more mer to carry our fallen comrades away, and take all the useful items back to Molag Mar. There were several pieces of Daedric and Glass armors, books about the Dwemer, Ebony weapons, Dwemer artifacts and heaps of gold. It was a shame that the place was overwhelmed by Ordinators and Temple priests in a couple of hours after our victory to help us, so I couldn’t possibly keep any of those.</p><p>As we were doing all of that work, I wondered what the Nerevarine was up to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice continues her pursuit of the Nerevarine. The duel between Bolvyn Venim and the Nerevarine. Lord Vivec’s proclamation. Alice is sent to Ghostgate. Battle at Tureynulal. A meeting with the Nerevarine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We returned to Molag Mar with our job at Galom Daeus done. We escorted a caravan carrying the corpses of our fallen comrades, as well as the treasures of the vampire stronghold back to the city. Upon arrival, I reported our success to Tharer Rotheloth once again, and returned the vampire hunter equipment which had been given to me. He shared the latest rumors with me during our conversation: While we were busy hunting vampires, the Nerevarine convinced House Hlaalu to make them their Hortator. With the blockade of Vivec City by Ordinators, Duke Vedam Dren, the secular ruler of Vvardenfell called all the Hlaalu Councilors to Ebonheart to meet with the Nerevarine, and after they presented enough gold to them, they elected them as their Hortator too. Perhaps this development proved that the Nerevarine was an Imperial agent, as Duke Vedam Dren was generally regarded an Imperial figurehead. Or perhaps it had something to do with the meddling of his brother, Orvas Dren, an influential member of House Hlaalu. With that, the majority of the society of Vvardenfell was on the Nerevarine’s side, and the grievances of commoners and House Dunmer with the Ordinators surfaced. They said that a few peasants had beaten up an Ordinator in a tavern who was unarmed, and off-duty! They had a folk hero now, who protected them against the zeal of our order. Following all of this, the Nerevarine approached Vivec City, with a small army of Ashlanders, House Hlaalu and Imperial guards, as well as a mob of commoners in order to participate in the arranged duel with Bolvyn Venim, the last obstance of a united Vvardenfell. The Ordinators would have been ready to slay this army, but the Archcanon, Tholer Saryoni himself ordered them to stand down, and allow the Nerevarine into the city.</p><p>I didn’t hesitate, and took the first ship to Vivec City to see that duel. I entered the Arena canton, and headed to the area reserved for spectators. It was crowded with Dunmer and outlanders. The entire Redoran Council was present too, as I overheard from a conversation. Somebody tried to sell me food, and another person wanted to make a bet with me about the outcome of this duel, before I could find a seat in the company of mostly Dunmer. Everyone was excited around me. Soon, the voice of a male, which was probably projected with magic, was heard everywhere in the Arena:</p><p>“People of Vivec City! Welcome to the Arena! Today, we give you the battle of the Third Era! From the red gate ascends, the conqueror, the scourge of the n’wah, the undefeated… Bolvyn Venim!”</p><p>Most of the commoners were booing at the Archmaster of House Redoran. Clearly the formerly hated and persecuted Nerevarine really changed things and became so popular that the people would support them even against a living legend such as Venim. The Redoran in the crowd applauded their Archmaster, but they were overwhelmed by the pro-Nerevarine spectators. Bolvyn Venim, in full set of ebony armor, and with a daedric dai-katana in his hands patiently stood behind the gates, ignoring every reaction of the crowd. The announcer continued:</p><p>“From the blue gate ascends… some call them heretic, some call them a hero, the challenger: The Nerevarine!”</p><p>In spite of the announcer using a neutral language when he described the Nerevarine, and positive terms when he described Venim (I was certain that the Temple censored his speech) it didn’t have an effect: Everyone was cheering. The Nerevarine, in contrast with Venim, waved to the crowd and gave a few swings to their weapon, which just amplified the crowd’s reaction. They were definitely more than capable of winning over hearts. The Redoran in the crowd also applauded them. Probably even if they were rather on the side of their Archmaster, they thought that it would be dishonorable otherwise. The announcer continued:</p><p>“Without further ado, let the duel begin! Lower the gates!”</p><p>The gates were lowered, and the two of them immediately started the combat. I noticed that every time Venim could hit the Nerevarine, the majority of the crowd was angry and booed, and when the Nerevarine did the same, they cheered. As I observed the battle, I could determine that Venim, in spite of being the leader of House Redoran, was not a worthy opponent to the Nerevarine. They could have probably executed them under a few minutes, as I noticed that they could hit him with such a strength that the ebony armor on the mer cracked. Yet, they didn’t finish it. Probably it was only the decision of the Nerevarine to keep the fight going on for 10-15 minutes in order to entertain the crowd with a spectacle. They toyed with Venim who was seriously wounded, and could hardly stand a chance. Perhaps this person really possessed the soul of Lord Nerevar? Surely, someone as skillful as them, to whom even Bolvyn Venim was hardly a match was chosen by destiny to do great things. Eventually, it ended, with Bolvyn Venim’s dead body falling onto the sand of the Arena. The Nerevarine, understanding the customs and beliefs of the Great Houses gave a clean death to Bolvyn Venim, and left the corpse of Venim alone, as it had fallen. The crowd was hysterical, and cheered them so much, that I could barely hear when the announcer stated the facts about the outcome of the battle.</p><p>The Nerevarine, raising their weapon above their head, started to walk around the edge of the pit, giving a chance to everyone to behold them in that moment. After a few minutes, when the crowd somehow calmed down, the announcer addressed them again:</p><p>“Good people! We ask you to remain silent now. Athyn Sarethi, from House Redoran has something to announce.” In that moment, an old Dunmer stood up among the Redoran crowd. Simultaneously to that, another Redoran noble also stood up, and left the Arena, with his retainers. I recognized his face, it was Tiras Venim, the son of Bolvyn Venim whom I met a couple of months ago. Athyn Sarethi, turning towards the Nerevarine, who was still down in the pit, spoke:</p><p>– The Council of House Redoran is in agreement. You are the Hortator of House Redoran. Come up here to discuss the details. – The crowd cheered. With that, the Nerevarine managed to unite all of Vvardenfell, all the Great Houses and the Ashlanders tribes. A Dunmer, who was sitting next to me, turned towards me and announced:</p><p>– Time for finding another job, eh Ordinator? Your terror is over. – I didn’t reply anything to that insolence, and left the Arena, with my mission failed. Perhaps this was the first time I witnessed what I only suspected so far: That respect for Ordinators is rather kept up by fear, and most of the people actually hated us. I went to one of the taverns of Vivec City, to forget about the whole thing. However, even there, people talked about that. I couldn’t even have a cup of Mazte without hearing about the Nerevarine. After several hours, and several cups of Mazte, an Ordinator entered the tavern, panting:</p><p>– Listen, people! Lord Vivec will appear before the public. Everyone, to the Palace! – The people all left. I followed them. I glimpsed back at the tavern, and I saw that even the publican closed down the tavern to follow us. The streets of Vivec were crowded, and everyone hurried to the Palace. I walked in the crowd, which would have trampled on me if I couldn’t keep up their pace. I arrived to the Palace, before the stairs, which were guarded by Ordinators, keeping the crowd away from overrunning the palace. I broke through the crowd, and went as close as I could. The crowd was diverse: Ordinators, pilgrims, commoners, merchants, outlanders. Even the gondoliers left their job to see Lord Vivec speaking! After about 20 minutes, Lord Vivec left the palace and stood on top of the stairs. On his left, there was my old acquaintance, Master Endryn Llethan. On his right, there was another high ranking priest, whom I assumed to be Tholer Saryoni, the Archcanon himself. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet the mer, it wouldn’t have made sense if it was anybody else. Vivec looked sublime, and frankly, beautiful as well. Half of his body was Dunmer, the other half preserved his Chimer self. He was muscular, and nothing covered his chest, while his groin was only covered by a loin-cloth. He had several ornamented pieces of jewelry on. As the crowd spotted him, we all instinctively dropped to our knees. There was some murmuring for a couple of seconds, but after that, everyone listened in silence, without Vivec having to ask for it. Vivec addressed us:</p><p>“My people! I lift my curse on the Nerevarine, and acknowledge that they are the one. They are the reincarnation of my old friend, Lord Nerevar, and our last hope to defeat Dagoth Ur. From this moment onward, they shall be the Temple’s champion in our crusade against evil. Furthermore, the persecution of the Dissident Priests shall end. I expect you to reconcile. The Nerevarine is already on their way to Red Mountain. Help them in the fight, however you can.” – With that, Vivec stopped and went back to the Palace. That was all. No explanations, or long speeches about the situation. Just stating the facts and telling us what to do. I expected this much from a god, however it meant that the Nerevarine prophecies were genuine, as the Dissident Priests stated, and it came from Vivec’s mouth himself. As the door closed behind Vivec, the priest on his right spoke:</p><p>“Thus spoke Lord Vivec!” – He announced. The function of that sentence was not stating the obvious, but to signal that whatever we had heard was official dogma of the Temple, confirmed by the Archcanon himself, it wasn’t an elaborate prank that we just witnessed.</p><p>The crowd started to disperse. An Ordinator approached me in the confusion:</p><p>– Report to Serjo Sala, Rithari. – He told me, without further explanation. I wondered what did he want. I entered the Hall of Justice, and found Serjo Berel Sala’s office. I knocked on the door and entered. As usually, he was doing some kind of paperwork. He addressed me, as I entered:</p><p>– You’re going to Ghostgate, Rithari. Your orders are the same: Keep an eye on the heretic.</p><p>– The heretic? – I asked. – Didn’t you hear…?</p><p>– In spite of everything, I don’t trust them. And I think that I’m right, and Lord Vivec will thank me one day for this. I think that the n’wah will turn against Almsivi, who gave them their trust and love, and ally with the Sharmat.</p><p>– Do you have a single fact to back that up? – I asked.</p><p>– What?</p><p>– You said that the Nerevarine would turn the Ashlander tribes against the settled Dunmer too. Yet, now everyone is united under their flag. Ashlanders, settled Dunmer, the Great Houses, the Temple, even outlanders! The only one still being hostile with them is you.</p><p>– Those misguided fools will thank me. Now go, and keep me informed!</p><p>I left the mer behind. It was clear for me that he tried to reconcile his previous zeal against heresy with the new dogma of the Temple, that the Nerevarine prophecies were genuine, and not heretical, thus he invented this theory that the Nerevarine was a trickster, and everybody in Vvardenfell was misguided besides him. As he was the leader of the Ordinators, and the Ordinators answered only to him instead of the Archcanon, his views may be dangerous and lead to conflict later. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to end up in the Ministry of Truth again, so I used the service of the Mages’ Guild to teleport to Ald-ruhn, from where I walked to Ghostgate. A group of Redoran and a couple of Imperial legionnaires accompanied me there.</p><p>Ghostgate turned into a headquarters for a war against Dagoth Ur. The three Great Houses set up tents for their soldiers around the fortress. Even House Telvanni bothered to show up. Ordinators and Buoyant Armigers sent squads of soldiers. The Legion also appeared in limited numbers, but the most numerous group were the Ashlanders. Even some freelance adventurers and mercenaries joined this army. Everyone wanted a piece of the Nerevarine’s glory, and everyone wanted to be part of this event which changed history. The upcoming weeks were busy. I learned from a comrade that it was actually only half of our armies. The other half was stationed at Kogoruhn, which the Temple purified. It turned out that the Ghostfence was mostly ineffective against Dagoth Ur, as the Sixth House cultists were spending most of their time digging a tunnel underneath Red Mountain to reach Kogoruhn, and that was how Dagoth Ur’s forces could escape Red Mountain in the first place. Our first priority was securing Ghostgate and Kogoruhn, the two entry points of Red Mountain, to contain Dagoth Ur’s forces inside the Ghostfence. In the meantime, smaller groups of our soldiers were busy with cleaning out Sixth House caves, patrolling the roads, and our Inquisition executed everybody on the spot who expressed any sympathy towards the Sixth House in the cities. The Grand Council held a meeting, and ash statues were banned, which the Nerevarine revealed to be the tools of Dagoth Ur to spread his soul sickness. The Elder Council in Cyrodiil, as a gesture – as if anyone cared about their solidarity – also banned those statues. Smugglers of ash statues, and those who distributed them got executed on the spot, while from ordinary citizens, they were confiscated. I joined the Ordinators at Ghostgate, and was appointed to lead a unit of 14 soldiers.</p><p>We executed an elaborate plan to defeat Dagoth Ur, and after dealing with the Sixth House outside the Ghostfence, and securing the entry points, we sent out several smaller units of soldiers to keep the foyadas and the paths clear of Sixth House monsters and scout Red Mountain so that we would be able to update our maps. I stepped on the soil of Red Mountain with confidence this time, I wasn’t that frightened pilgrim who was afraid to do the Shrine of Pride pilgrimage inside the Ghostfence anymore. I led my mer inside, and we helped keeping the paths clear, and reporting the location of every mine, cave, ancestral tomb or Dwemer ruin inside that we had found. Interestingly, besides the Sixth House monsters, we have also encountered Daedric cultists at a Daedric shrine inside the Ghostfence, and even one vampire. Probably the blight storms covering the skies, and blocking sunlight made it possible for him to hunt for adventurers who dared to enter Dagoth Ur’s kingdom.</p><p>Dagoth Ur attempted a counter-attack at Ghostgate, and being so powerful as he was, without the Nerevarine, he would have conquered the fortress. Following our initial phase, came the attacks against the citadels of the Sixth House, where Dagoth Ur’s kin, the Ash Vampires resided. The group at Kogoruhn launched an attack against Vemynal, and the Ghostgate group had Endusal, Odrosal and Tureynulal. Since we couldn’t possibly hope to prevail against an Ash Vampire, a hero, namely the Nerevarine needed to lead each group, which gave us the disadvantage that we couldn’t launch an attack against these citadels all at once. Hundreds had fallen, and even more got injured, or caught blight or corprus during this phase. We killed the latter ones on the spot, as the main goal was to achieve victory, and we couldn’t allow ourselves giving new minions to Dagoth Ur.</p><p>I joined the group which attacked Tureynulal with my mer. We climbed Red Mountain, and followed the Nerevarine, leading us on the path that according to our maps, led there. In spite of us always sending out patrols against the Sixth House, these paths got filled with Sixth House creatures all the time, as if Dagoth Ur could create them constantly, without losing his strength. There were about 70 of us, mostly Ordinators, a few Redoran, and the always faithful Ashlanders of the Nerevarine. I didn’t have the opportunity to remove my helmet, due to the blight storm, nor did I want to do that, I preferred to keep my identity a secret from the Nerevarine. Luckily, among 70 soldiers, I was only one commander, responsible for 14 of them, nobody that the Nerevarine would have cared about in that situation. The fortress itself had two towers, a corridor leading to a main room, and one floor underneath. The task of my unit was only taking care of the bottom floor. We descended into the room underneath, which had a small pool filled with water, and another one of those Dwemer steam engines that kept the fortress running. There was one Ascended Sleeper downstairs, which we could overpower, but he still claimed the lives of three of us.</p><p>One of my mer addressed me after the battle:</p><p>– Muthsera Rithari, we have found the corpse of Mendel Eves, a fallen Buoyant Armiger who lost his life here a couple of weeks ago.</p><p>I nodded, and followed the mer. He led me to a corpse in the half-glass, half-chitin armor of the Buoyant Armigers. However, I noticed that he was a Nord. I would have never assumed that the Buoyant Armigers took outlanders in, especially not a Nord. It made me remember the fact that the Temple had faced several troubles in that period, so they recruited extensively, which was probably the reason I could become an Ordinator too, but seeing a Nord Buoyant Armiger was really a surprise. I ordered my mer to gather his armor and his axe, and told six of them to stay behind, while I took the rest of them to see how the battle was going on in the other areas of the facility.</p><p>I entered the main room, which had countless shelves of books, and probably functioned as a library of the Sixth House. By the time I arrived, the Nerevarine was already fighting alone against the Ash Vampire, and besides them there were the corpses of about 30-40 of the Ordinators lying on the floor, all killed by the monster. The rest of us were busy fighting in the other rooms.</p><p>The Ash Vampire staggered the Nerevarine, and I believed that in the next moment it would tear them to pieces. I drew my mace and bashed the skull of the abomination. Naturally, it couldn’t even scratch it, in spite of my rigorous training as an Ordinator, but it won two seconds for the Nerevarine to recover their strength and strike again. In the end, the Ash Vampire had fallen.</p><p>– Thank you, Ordinator. – They told me. – I owe you one. – They took an amulet from the neck of the ash vampire and then proceeded to take some of the books from the bookshelves. – These are crucial for defeating Dagoth Ur. – They explained it to me. I didn’t dare to take anything, with the risk of the Corprus disease, but the Nerevarine was rumored to be immune to any disease, which was proven by their careless attitude towards taking items from the facility. I took a quick look at one of the enormous shelves and the numerous books that were on it, and it felt bad that I had to let all of those books go, without the chance of at least taking a glimpse inside them.</p><p>We didn’t have the opportunity to do the usual procedure of burning everything, due to the fact that it was impossible to start a fire in a blight storm outside. Therefore, we left everything behind, including the corpses of our fallen comrades, and returned to the Ghostgate. We thought that when Dagoth Ur dies, we would come back for them. After the battle, my unit got a few days to rest. I took the opportunity to visit Mistress Uvoo Llaren, who was mostly busy with healing the wounded in the Temple of the Ghostgate. I told two of my mer to bring the armor of the fallen Buoyant Armiger and his axe there. I addressed Uvoo Llaren:</p><p>– Mistress Llaren! During the siege of Tureynulal, we had encountered a fallen Buoyant Armiger, and recovered his equipment.</p><p>– Elisamsi! – She embraced me, before saying anything else. – Good to see you again. – She released me and looked at the axe. – That axe is the Cleaver of St. Felms the Bold, an important Temple artifact. I’m so glad that you could recover it!</p><p>– Do you give out Temple artifacts to Nords? – I asked in disbelief.</p><p>– He was a brave and honorable Buoyant Armiger. – She commented. – May Almsivi bless his soul. Will you return the axe to the care of the Temple?</p><p>– Of course. – I told her and handed the axe over.</p><p>– Good. I assure you I will be most careful with it.</p><p>– Maybe don’t give it to Nords from now on, please. – I told her, with a smile. My mer also handed the Nord’s armor over.</p><p>We wanted to continue our small talk about whether it was fine to hand out Temple artifacts to Nords if they were good warriors, and perhaps also about how the war was going, but the next moment, the Nerevarine entered the Temple, with two Ashlander warriors on their side.</p><p>– Some of the people told me that the one who saved my life at Tureynulal is here. I want to thank her. – Said the Nerevarine.</p><p>I turned around, and looked into their eyes. Again, we were face to face with each other. First, chance made it possible that we would meet several times, and then no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t meet with them for weeks, when I wanted to meet with them the most. And now, there they were again, recognizing me. This person could defeat Bolvyn Venim, and several Ash Vampires – beings almost impossible to defeat by ordinary people. I didn’t want to provoke their anger by saying anything that may have revealed that I was working for the Inquisition, especially considering how paranoid they were, although I assumed that Aryon had already told them everything about me. I waited for them to start speaking.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice joins the Nerevarine in the assault of Dagoth Ur. How they prepared for the battle and won it eventually.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a few seconds of awkward silence, the Nerevarine addressed me:</p><p>– Rithari! It’s good to see that you could recover your armor and escape your hut. – They said, with the tone mocking me. There was no doubt that Master Aryon told them everything about me, including a description of how I looked like, which was easy to recognize as there weren’t a lot of blonde Dunmer around. – So, the Ordinators still don’t trust me…</p><p>– I act according to Lord Vivec’s proclamation. I’m here to help you. We are in the same team now. – I replied. It wasn’t exactly true, as Berel Sala told me to report on the Nerevarine, but I wasn’t sure whether I should take that order seriously when Lord Vivec himself wanted the Temple to help the Nerevarine.</p><p>Mistress Uvoo Llaren and the others left us alone, as they sensed that our conversation was none of their business.</p><p>– You cheeky… – they told me, without finishing the sentence with a noun – I recognize your voice! You were at Kogoruhn too. – They couldn’t connect me with Kogoruhn without hearing me, as I had a helmet on back then. It seemed that the Nerevarine was indeed paranoid and had an excellent memory to keep track of every encounter. – And in Ald-ruhn. So how long have you been following me? Also, making a conspicuous blonde Dunmer a spy, who makes blatantly obvious mistakes? Your boss is an amateur. Elisamsi. – They referred to the fact that I revealed my real name at Kogoruhn.</p><p>– I wasn’t following you back then, it was a coincidence that we had met. And it got me a couple of weeks in the Ministry of Truth because they believed that I was working with you. When my innocence was revealed, they made me a spy, indeed. However, as I said, I follow Lord Vivec’s words and want to help you.</p><p>– I’m sorry, Elisamsi. – They replied. – I was in the Ministry of Truth, and I saw what is it like. I’m sorry that you had to suffer because of me. And thank you for your help back in Tureynulal. You are an awful spy, but a good warrior. – They slightly smiled at me.</p><p>– So you really broke into the Ministry of Truth! Is the one about the Andrano Ancestral Tomb also true? – I demanded.</p><p>– What? How could they find out about that? – They protested. – Yes, I admit it. But I killed six Ash Vampires so far, so in your place, I would listen. I had to do that.</p><p>– Had to? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes. I needed information on the Nerevarine prophecies, and the one who got the information demanded this. I regret doing it, in fact, this is the only thing that I regret about fulfilling my destiny so far. I want to atone for it. The one who has the skull of that poor enchanter is a member of the Balmora Mages’ Guild, and a secret necromancer, Sharn gra-Muzgob. Do me a favor, and only report this to your boss after we defeated Dagoth Ur. We might need her help until that.</p><p>– Very well. I don’t approve your deed, I think that you could have offered some gold to her for her information instead, or something. – I told them. – But I appreciate that you want to atone for it. However, I want you to know that Llevule Andrano was not a poor enchanter as that necromancer told you. He was an important Second Era Temple master.</p><p>– That lying scum. I could have asked for a higher price from her then than just the information. – They pondered. – Well then, I definitely won’t weep when you arrest her.</p><p>They extended their hand towards me, and we shook hands to seal that we cleared up any misunderstanding between the two of us and that we were on the same side. They continued:</p><p>– I wanted to make you an offer, because of your deeds at Tureynulal. Now I have everything to defeat Dagoth Ur once and for all. The Sixth House has been forced into their last stronghold. We’ll besiege them at once before they have a chance to recover. The army at Kogoruhn is going to besiege them from the north, while the army at Ghostgate will do the same from the south. There is no doubt that they would sally out from the fortress to break the siege. In that moment, just like during the First Battle of Red Mountain, I’ll lead a group of elite soldiers into the fortress itself to kill Dagoth Ur and destroy the Sixth House, while our armies keep the remnants of their army occupied outside. I want you to be in that elite group.</p><p>– Sera… – I replied. – I’m honored. But I would need better equipment and perhaps weeks of training if I wanted to go there.</p><p>– We don’t have weeks. Maybe not even a couple of days. I can help you with equipment, though. I have a couple of items that I don’t use. – They told me and took off their backpack to look for those items. – I can give you this Amulet of Shield. Will that do? Its magic reinforces your armor and protects you from the blight storm. – They handed it over to me.</p><p>– But what about healing? – I asked.</p><p>– I have two healing potions that I can spare. Interested?</p><p>– Sure, give them here. – I told them, and they handed those over as well.</p><p>We proceeded to meet with the rest of this elite team that was supposed to accompany the Nerevarine to the headquarters of Dagoth Ur. It contained their always faithful Ashlander bodyguards, who wouldn’t have left them alone for a second, a couple of Redoran warriors, Imperial legionnaires, Telvanni mages, and Ordinators. It seemed that almost every faction of Vvardenfell would have a representative in this force. We discussed our plan for the attack, and it turned out, that fortune favored us because in the last moment, a courier arrived from Cyrodiil, and the Emperor himself sent some secret documents to us that detailed how the fortress looked like from the inside, including some of the places suitable for potential ambushes. Not a lot of explanation was given, only that decades ago, an Imperial hero descended into that fortress, and survived, and it was their account of the place.</p><p>Our army was ready to march to Dagoth Ur and besiege it. We visited Mistress Uvoo Llaren, who blessed our elite force in the name of Almsivi. We exchanged a few words before going to battle:</p><p>– While inside Dagoth Ur, I want you to look for another Temple relic, the Crosier of St. Llothis. The former captain of the Buoyant Armigers, Voruse Bethrimo, fought against the terrible creatures of Dagoth Ur, but was slain while protecting those under his command as they retreated. He carried the Crosier of St. Llothis, a holy artifact that is now in the hands of our enemies.</p><p>– I’ll bring the relic back to you, Mistress. And hopefully, we will bring back Dagoth Ur’s head too.</p><p>– Be careful. I don’t want you to die today. – She admitted.</p><p>– You would miss your errand girl who brings back the artifacts that you give out to Nords, wouldn’t you? – I joked.</p><p>– I would miss my friend. – She told me. We embraced each other.</p><p>The army gathered before the Ghostgate, simultaneously to the other one gathering at Kogoruhn. It was a diverse army, containing thousands of soldiers. We knew that this would be our best, and last chance to defeat Dagoth Ur, so the factions sent everyone they could spare. Ordinators, Buoyant Armigers, Redoran warriors, Hlaalu mercenaries, and Telvanni mages, the Imperial Legion. From the Ashlander tribes, almost everyone capable of fighting showed up. Even the smaller factions, such as the Mages’ Guild or the Morag Tong sent some people, and there were several freelancer adventurers and mercenaries in the army too. Everyone felt that they must be present. The commanders of the army were diverse too, and under other circumstances, they wouldn’t possibly have worked together. Duke Vedam Dren and the Nerevarine were the general leaders of the army, and underneath them were the most high-ranking members of the different factions. From the Telvanni, the only one bothering to show up was Master Aryon. The Redoran armies were led by Miner Arobar. Salyn Sarethi was in charge of the Temple forces. From the Legion, the Knight of the Imperial Dragon, Varus Vantinius himself appeared, no doubt only to solidify the Empire’s claim on the ebony and glass of Red Mountain later, as the conqueror. He was supported by General Imsin, whose nickname was “the Dreamer,” not the most suitable in the eyes of Dunmer in a battle against the Sixth House. From the freelancers, Farvyn Oreyn appeared, who claimed to be the descendant of the famous hero, Oreyn Bearclaw. I wasn’t sure whether he would be actually helpful in the battle, he seemed to be rather someone who bragged more about his heroic deeds than somebody who actually got anything done. Of course, even then he would be good for dying in the place of an actual useful warrior, such as an Ordinator.</p><p>The blight storm in the Red Mountain region was raging more terribly than usual. Dagoth Ur used all of his power to make it hard for us. The two armies closed in near his citadel, and had it surrounded. Hundreds of Sixth House creatures and cultists sallied out from the crater. While our forces outnumbered them, they had the advantage of the blight storm and the fact that they were attacking us descending from a mountain. The Nerevarine signaled to their elite team to follow them inside the citadel. We moved quickly to arrive behind the enemy lines. We descended into the crater of the volcano to find the entrance of Dagoth Ur. The blight storm was amplified inside even more than at the other parts of Red Mountain. After all, it was the source of this curse. We could barely see each other, and if we removed our helmets, we probably would have died on the spot from choking on the ash. We noticed that the entrance was closed, or more specifically, the door was hidden behind a stone door.</p><p>– Those descriptions of the Emperor didn’t talk about this! – The Nerevarine exclaimed.</p><p>One of the Telvanni mages examined the door, while an Ordinator told the Nerevarine:</p><p>– Maybe we could destroy the entrance with our maces, but it would take hours. – As soon as he said that, the Telvanni mage addressed the Nerevarine:</p><p>– This is a simple Dwemer mechanism. You see, the Dwemer were keen on natural selection. The stone door protects against unwanted invaders, mostly wild animals. It can be opened with a crank, which is over there. – He pointed at a crank which was about 20 meters away. I wasn’t sure whether we had time for such a long explanation, but we didn’t have a choice but to listen to the eccentric Telvanni. – When the crank is pulled, the door opens, but it will only be open for a few seconds. In a situation when the Dwemer were pursued by wild animals, they had to make a run for it. If they weren’t fast enough to reach the door before it closed, the wild animals killed them. Natural selection. They thought that those not strong enough shouldn’t live. A philosophy that I commend, if I may add.</p><p>– So one of us has to stay behind to open the door, and the rest of us has to stay close to the door to enter immediately before it closes. – I suggested.</p><p>– Oh, please. You are such an unimaginative warrior, oblivious about the ways of magic. – The Telvanni told me. – I go there, open the door, you all enter. And I use a recall spell to teleport in front of the door and enter after you.</p><p>We all prepared for doing it, with our weapons drawn. The Telvanni used some kind of spell in front of the door and went over to the crank. He turned it, and the door opened. We all moved inside, in a disciplined but quick manner. I looked behind, and before the stone door closed, the Telvanni slipped through in the last moment. His recall spell obviously worked. A couple of Sixth House monsters ambushed us, as we entered. After we killed them, we followed the Nerevarine’s lead.</p><p>A few moments later, the Nerevarine addressed us:</p><p>– Did you hear that? – They asked us.</p><p>– Hear what? – A Redoran asked.</p><p>– Dagoth Ur is talking to me. – The Nerevarine answered.</p><p>– Stay strong, sera! Ignore it! – The Redoran replied in return.</p><p>The first area of the fortress wasn’t a challenge to us, but we were worried about Dagoth Ur getting into the head of the Nerevarine. There were maybe a dozen Sixth House creatures that we had to kill. Nothing that such a huge and skilled group couldn’t handle. Clearly, the majority of their army was outside, fighting. I also noticed that the fortress looked like an ordinary Dwemer ruin. It lacked the usual accessories of a Sixth House base, such as the bells, the corprusmeat, or the ash statues. Perhaps Dagoth Ur wanted to keep all of that away from himself? Or did he have some kind of respect towards the place that he wanted to preserve it as it was originally?</p><p>We entered the inner part of the facility and descended on some stairs. Soon, we found ourselves before three doors.</p><p>– The description of that Imperial hero points out that two of those doors lead to a dead end and we need the door on the right to proceed. However, we must clear those rooms out too, so that we wouldn’t get ambushed from behind. Elisamsi, take the Ordinators to the tower in the middle. The rest of you, follow me! – The Nerevarine told us, and they proceeded to enter the room to the left. We climbed up the ladder leading into the tower in the middle room. Inside the tower, there was an Ascended Sleeper. It was a hard opponent, but our elite group was a hard opponent too. It could wound one Ordinator seriously before we killed it. I gave both of the healing potions to my comrade, but it seemed that he was bleeding too heavily. He collapsed on the floor. I considered using my knowledge as a former healer to save his life, but another Ordinator addressed me:</p><p>– We must move on, muthsera.</p><p>– Muthsera! I have found the Crosier of St. Llothis, and a Daedric club! – another Ordinator told me, with a wooden staff and a club in his hand. There was indeed a fallen Buoyant Armiger in the room, whom I did not notice before that.</p><p>– Give me those. – I told him and took the Daedric club. I attached my Dwarven mace to my belt and thought that I would use this superior weapon in battle instead. I noted in my mind that I should have a Temple priest or priestess consecrate my new weapon later, in case it was cursed. I turned towards my dying comrade – We’ll return for you. Please protect the relic. – I gave the staff to him and hoped that he could survive a few hours with the help of the potions, and no one from the Sixth House would find him.</p><p> </p><p>We went back to the other room and met with the Nerevarine’s group. We descended deeper into the fortress and encountered a couple of Sixth House creatures in the process. We outnumbered them, but they sneaked behind us, and ambushed us, attacking us from the shadows, so we lost a couple of people.</p><p>We arrived to the lowest part of the facility, where the Sixth House made its last stand. There were a few dozen creatures, led by another of those Ash Vampires. We wouldn’t have had a chance against that, so we left that to the Nerevarine, while we battled the other creatures. We prevailed in the end but suffered heavy losses. A few of us remained only. The facility ended with a door, leading into the cave.</p><p>– That’s seven down. – The Telvanni, who opened the door for us commented. – All the Ash Vampires are dead. Impressive!</p><p>The Nerevarine turned to us and started to speak. Their intonation and the vocabulary that they used were different. They seemed more solemn, stood straighter and talked with more grace. Did the visit to this place awaken Lord Nerevar’s spirit inside them and they remembered everything? Was it Lord Nerevar who spoke to us? Or Dagoth Ur could manipulate them into believing in some kind of elaborate delusion by getting into their head? They spoke as such:</p><p>– My faithful companions, listen up. My old friend, Lord Voryn Dagoth awaits me behind that door. It began here, and it shall end here. I ask you to stay behind, for honor dictates me to face him alone.</p><p>– But sera! – I protested. – It’s Dagoth Ur! You need all the help you can get.</p><p>– The proper way of addressing me is Serjo, soldier. And as the leader of House Indoril, I command you to stay here. You’ll be helpful with that and make sure that none of House Dagoth ambushes me from behind. – They told me. Did they know who I was at that point, or just looked at my armor and assumed me to be an Indoril warrior? The Ordinators did not exist back in Lord Nerevar’s time, as I learned, so if Lord Nerevar got conscious inside the Nerevarine, it was a logical reaction from him to believe that an Ordinator was an Indoril warrior. They entered the cavern, and we waited with the rest of the group in the lowest part of the Dwemer ruin, impatiently. Hours had passed, and we wondered how the battle was going on on the surface.</p><p>Suddenly, we felt an earthquake. We were certain that the facility would collapse, and the volcano would erupt, but it seemed that the Dwemer were capable engineers and the former didn’t happen, while good luck prevented the latter from happening. We weren’t sure whether we should go back for the Nerevarine, or escape. However, after a few minutes, the earthquake stopped, and the Nerevarine, wounded, but still alive, ascended from the cave. It seemed that they returned to their former self, the shift in their personality that we witnessed before was gone entirely.</p><p>– I don’t remember what happened. But I know that it’s done. Dagoth Ur is dead! – They announced. Some of the mer were ready to congratulate them, but they reminded us that we should leave the facility instead. On the way out, I checked out the tower where the Temple artifact was. Sadly, my comrade didn’t make it, he lost too much blood, but at least the Crosier of St. Llothis was still there. It was awe-inspiring to me to see him, lying on his own blood but firmly gripping the artifact, and defending it with his last breath. Such an honorable mer he was, taking his orders seriously until his last moment. I picked the weapon up, hoped that the Temple would come later to take care of the remains of our fallen comrade, and followed the group. We ascended from the facility and left it through the door, which was opened by the Telvanni for us, once again. Outside, a beautiful sight awaited us: The blight storm stopped, and the formerly red skies were only pinkish now, until the wind blew the remains of the blight away too, and it turned into blue, as it was supposed to be. The volcano was calm, and it didn’t spread blight anymore. I hoped that it would sleep forever, and our island would have the chance to recover and be green and fertile again, as it once was. I removed my helmet, and the sun caressed the skin of my face. Even though that was supposed to make me weaker, I didn’t care, I was happy. We ascended from the crater and beheld the results of the battle. Our army, despite suffering heavy losses, managed to defeat the Sixth House. Later, we learned that in the moment when Dagoth Ur died, some of the lowest cultists immediately committed suicide, which with the disappearance of the blight storm turned the tide of battle to our favor. In the distance, we saw that the Ghostfence disappeared too, perhaps Almsivi themselves sensed our victory, and knew that it was not necessary to maintain it anymore. Or perhaps it was true that both they and Dagoth Ur got their divine powers by theft from a real god, and when Dagoth Ur was defeated they also lost all of that power, and thus they were actually unable to maintain the Ghostfence.</p><p>As we ascended the crater, the army was cheering and applauding us, or more specifically, their hero, the Nerevarine, in a hysterical manner. And I, Elisamsi, the simple Ordinator of the Temple had the opportunity to be present when history was written, and witness the Nerevarine’s war against Dagoth Ur. The Nerevarine fulfilled their destiny, and I have given an account of it, the way I witnessed it. However, that was only the end of the first part of my story and I had a long way to go before I fulfilled my own destiny…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice describes how life in Morrowind changed after the death of Dagoth Ur. Morrowind on the brink of civil war due to the revelations concerning Temple doctrine and the increasing popularity of the Dissident Priests. Alice’s first attempt to get closer to Uvoo. Clearing out a Daedric shrine, and being forced to serve Molag Bal. Killing Menta Na, and receiving a reward. A letter from the Archcanon.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I walked back to Ghostgate with the Nerevarine and the rest of the heroes among the celebration and handshakes of the members of the army. Duke Vedam Dren made a little speech about our glorious victory, and how this day would go down in history as the “Second Battle of Red Mountain.” He made sure to thank the Nerevarine for their efforts, and talked about the necessity to care for those who got wounded, and the families of those who died, and expressed his hope that Morrowind would remain united in the future, as it was on that day. Meaningless commonplaces of a politician, who wanted to advance his own career, using the Nerevarine’s deeds.</p><p>We knew that our job wasn’t entirely done yet. There were small pockets of Sixth House resistance here and there, but they were mostly powerless without Dagoth Ur. A larger task was taking care of the dead. However, we didn’t start on that immediately. Everyone agreed that after the battle, we deserved one day to celebrate. After all, it wasn’t every day that the Sharmat was vanquished once and for all. That day, many friendships and loves were formed between the soldiers and the other participants of the battle. Since I accompanied the Nerevarine into the fortress of Dagoth Ur, I had the privilege to celebrate inside the Ghostgate, in the tavern, where all the heroes of the battle and the most important people were present.</p><p>– So… – I approached the Nerevarine at the party, who was having a drink with some Imperial. – What will the esteemed Nerevarine, the Hortator, and the champion or Morrowind do next? What great evil is on your agenda now?</p><p>– I’ll settle a few personal scores. – They told me. Wanting to change the subject, they pointed at the Imperial who was listening to us. – Do you know Crassius Curio? He’s going to write an epic about our battle. Master Curio, this is Elisamsi.</p><p>– Ah! What a wonderful day indeed! I thought that it couldn’t be better, but then I saw you, pearl-haired girl. Uncle Crassius is honored to bask in your beauty.</p><p>I think that I may have blushed as he called me “pearl-haired,” referring to the color of my hair. Despite being an outlander, this person was pleasant and it seemed that he could treat ladies right. The Nerevarine quietly left us, and Curio continued:</p><p>– But tell me: Is it Elisamsi or Rithari? Some people I talked with referred to you as Rithari, but our friend called you Elisamsi. Or is it both? Elisamsi Rithari?</p><p>– I don’t have a surname, but I like that. – I smiled.</p><p>– Elisamsi Rithari, the fearless pearl-haired maiden! – He exclaimed.</p><p>In that moment, I remembered that I have forgotten about the Crosier of St. Llothis. I told Crassius Curio to excuse me for a moment, and I left the party to enter the Temple of Ghostgate and give the artifact to Mistress Uvoo Llaren. She was treating a few wounded soldiers with the rest of the priests, tirelessly trying to save their lives, while we were having fun.</p><p>– Mistress… – I addressed her. – I managed to recover the artifact. – I handed it over to her.</p><p>– Thank you. – She told me, as she took it over. – I can feel his undefeated spirit within. With this, and with the defeat of Dagoth Ur, you have brought great honor to the Temple today, Elisamsi.</p><p>– My friends just call me Alice. – I told her. – You can call me that.</p><p>– Thank you, Alice. I like it. And I see that you have acquired a Daedric weapon too. Let me consecrate that. – She told me, and I gave the club to her. She went over to one of the shrines, knelt before it, and said a prayer. She gave it back to me. – Now, this unholy item is holy, an instrument of Almsivi.</p><p>– Thank you, Mistress. – I told her.</p><p>– I think that you deserve a promotion for your deeds today. You are now Elisamsi, the Disciple. – She still had to use my official name for making official statements. – Furthermore, I wish to extend an invitation to House Indoril. All the best Ordinators are offered this. If you accept, you will become a noblewoman. – So it was true after all that she was an Indoril noblewoman, otherwise, she wouldn’t have had the chance to offer me an invitation into the faction.</p><p>– I don’t know. – I admitted it. – My mother was a Redoran.</p><p>– Well, House Redoran and House Indoril are allies. I think that your mother would be proud of you. It’s your choice, of course.</p><p>– Very well, I accept it. – I told her. She nodded, and handed over a letter which officially confirmed that I was an Indoril noblewoman, and a sack with a symbolic amount of gold. It somehow made me feel satisfied that while in Temple hierarchy I was still under her, in the secular world I was her equal. – So… you told me that you wanted me to come back alive today…</p><p>– Yes… – She admitted.</p><p>– Well, I’m back, and I just became a noblewoman! Let’s celebrate. May I buy you a mazte? – I asked.</p><p>– The battle is over, and you have a reason to celebrate, but the battle of the priests has just begun. We are tirelessly fighting to save the lives of the wounded here. – She told me.</p><p>– I understand. Well, I know a thing or two about healing. Let me help you.</p><p>We had spent that night together, preparing potions for the wounded, and treating wounds. I told myself that I genuinely wanted to help, but perhaps the real reason was that I wanted to be in her presence. At dawn, I went to sleep, exhausted. It was a long day, and I think that I may have slept 14 hours.</p><p>The next couple of weeks changed Vvardenfell forever. After the dead at Red Mountain were buried, and the remnants of Sixth House resistance were defeated, the armies left Ghostgate. In fact, even most of the original crew left it. With the enemy vanquished, it became obsolete, a pilgrimage site. The Shrine of Pride didn’t commemorate the fallen Ghostfence anymore, pilgrims went there to remember the Nerevarine, Morrowind’s new national hero. I reported Sharn gra-Muzgob, the one to whom the Nerevarine gave the skull of Llevule Andrano. She was burned for necromancy, and the Inquisition rewrote history: All the blame for the looting of the tomb was put on her, and the official dogma was that the Nerevarine didn’t have anything to do with the whole affair. The Nerevarine, who was viewed as a heretical scum previously, became one of the greatest Temple heroes, someone equal to the Temple saints.</p><p>The fragile alliance between the factions quickly disbanded, after all, it was only kept together by their common hatred of the Sixth House. The Great Houses and the Empire entered into a race for colonizing Red Mountain, which had treasures, Dwemer artifacts, ebony and glass mines, and without the Sixth House, the only thing necessary was arriving first to claim them. A race had also started for the lands of the Molag Amur and the Ashlands region. Many people speculated that with the blight gone, and the volcano being dormant, in a few decades, the lands may become green and fertile again. There were meetings at the Grand Council, where the politicians all cited laws and argued about their right to take the majority of the lands. Even in this moment of triumph, the Dunmer people were destined to bring suffering upon themselves, as the hostilities between the factions caused so much tension that people talked about a civil war coming, or perhaps even a revolution against the Empire.</p><p>There were tensions in the Temple too. The Nerevarine left Vvardenfell and went to the mainland, and none of Almsivi appeared in public after our victory either. The persecution of the Dissident Priests stopped, and they started preaching publicly and printing their books in large numbers. There were priests trying to convert people even on the streets of Vivec, which would have been impossible a couple of weeks ago! Some Temples, such as the ones in Suran and Vos openly expressed that they follow the teachings of this group, namely that the Tribunal were not real gods, and we should return to worshiping the ancestors and the Good Daedra, and remember the Tribunal only as heroes and saints. The Archcanon, Tholer Saryoni, was old and sick and wanted to retire in a couple of years. The leader of the Dissident Priests, Gilvas Barelo expressed his interest to become the new Archcanon. He promised that he would reform the Temple, and we would return to ancient Chimer tradition, which we were always supposed to follow. He claimed that the fulfillment of the Nerevarine prophecies and the disappearance of the Ghostfence had proven that they were right, and Almsivi were never real gods, but they were fallible mer, who now lost their stolen powers. He also claimed that Lord Vivec himself supported their central tenet, that we should reform the Temple. The Dissident Priests invited Ashlanders into the cities to teach the people about the old ways, which they represented, and urged everyone to forget about the empty formalism of the Temple. In order to make his movement more popular, on practical terms, Barelo promised that he would disband the Ordinators, make the Temple distribute most of its wealth among the poor, and spend it on educating the ignorant, instead of hoarding it and allowing the priests to live in luxury, and also that he would use his power as Archcanon to resist the Empire’s authority.</p><p>The other one who wanted to become the new Archcanon was Berel Sala himself, my boss. He argued that the Tribunal never claimed that the Nerevarine prophecies themselves were heresy, they protected us from false hope by persecuting the false Nerevarines, and the moment the real one appeared, they immediately expressed their support in their infinite wisdom. He also claimed that the plan for defeating Dagoth Ur was devised by Vivec, and without him, it couldn’t have happened. He argued that this was not the right time for conflict, but an opportunity to continue worshiping Almsivi as before, in peace, untroubled by the Sixth House. He made us remember the ancient promise of Almsivi that by worshiping them, we free ourselves from the madness of Sheogorath and the cruelty of Molag Bal – which would return if the Dissidents had their way.</p><p>Both of the mer had strong arguments. Between the two stood Tholer Saryoni himself, who tried to prevent a schism in the Temple, which was inevitable if one of them became the next Archcanon. He used whatever power (both physically and in the Temple) he had left to reconcile the two viewpoints and offer a middle ground. He accepted the thesis of the Dissident Priests that we should return to worshiping the Good Daedra and the ancestors and we should remember the Tribunal only as saints and heroes, but he also wanted to offer something to the traditionalists. He claimed that the Ordinators were necessary because there were several monsters and heathens that we needed protection against, such as the Four Corners of the House of Troubles, with which he also offered a solution to Berel Sala’s strongest argument: We would return to the old ways, but we won’t fear the Bad Daedra anymore, as the Chimer did. He tried to find a middle ground in the question of Temple corruption too, by keeping the hierarchy but still allocating some of the funds to education and welfare.</p><p>These were the three main viewpoints about the future of the Temple, however, there were less significant opinions too. Literally, everyone felt that it was a time of spiritual renewal. Some Dunmer abandoned the Temple altogether and joined the Imperial Cult. Perhaps this was the Emperor’s goal with supporting the Nerevarine, to begin with? Ridiculous as it may sound, the opposite also happened: Outlanders, witnessing the miracle of the destruction of Dagoth Ur, abandoned the Imperial Cult and joined the Dissident Priests’ vision of ancestor and Good Daedra worship. Some of them even went to the Ashlander Camps, uninvited, to live among them and acquire not only their religious views, but also their lifestyle. (Luckily, the Ashlanders were wise enough to only take their gold and mock them.) And of course, some crazy people surfaced too. A certain “End of Times” cult claimed that gates to Oblivion will open soon, and the Daedra will kill us all, so we must all commit suicide to join our ancestors and be safe.</p><p>I didn’t know which of these directions in the Temple should I follow, or should I follow any of them. I thought that by experiencing the Ministry of Truth first hand, and the fulfillment of the Nerevarine prophecies, it was certain that the majority of the claims of the Dissident Priests were true. The only thing that I was uncertain about was whether the Tribunal were divine or not. I heard both sides, and I couldn’t decide on that. If they weren’t, that would have been hard to digest, as I worshiped them all my life. I couldn’t just throw all of that away, and worship somebody else. At least not without solid proof that it would be the wisest choice. I wasn’t concerned about my job. I was a capable warrior after all, if the Ordinators disbanded over my head, I would just become a mercenary in the Fighters’ Guild. Therefore, I decided that I would just do my duty, and see what happens. And in a couple of weeks after the defeat of Dagoth Ur, duty indeed called me. Mistress Uvoo Llaren asked me to clear out a Daedric shrine called Yansirramus, to the southwest of Tel Aruhn. Indeed, Serjo Saryoni was right, even with the defeat of the Sixth House, we would need the Ordinators against the Four Corners, especially if the “End of Times” cult was right, and gates to Oblivion would open later. I went to Tel Aruhn by ship. Previously, the settlement was ruled by Archmagister Gothren from House Telvanni, whom the Nerevarine killed, therefore it was without a leader when I arrived. It was an unremarkable settlement. (As unremarkable, as a Telvanni settlement could be.) However, it had a huge slave market. I witnessed the Orcish mercenaries whipping the slaves, as I passed through, and frowned. I didn’t have anything against the institution of slavery, but I disliked cruelty. I visited the alchemist of the town and purchased a couple of Water Walking potions so that I could arrive at Yansirramus, which was located on a small island.</p><p>Upon my arrival to the Daedric shrine, I witnessed that there were two Nords, fighting against the Daedra. I intervened and helped them. I looked at their faces, and it turned out that they were twins. They were big, and muscular, like most Nords.</p><p>– I’m Thurek, Dark Elf. And this is my brother, Idlami. We want to loot this shrine. Do you want to join? – One of the twins asked me.</p><p>– I’m not interested in looting as much as I’m interested in the death of the cultists inside. Follow me. – I told them.</p><p>We entered the shrine. We descended on the stairs leading to the inner parts. Once again, I heard that terrible voice. The same voice as in Galom Daeus.</p><p>“Half-vampire whore. Kill. Kill everyone.”</p><p>We proceeded to fight with the cultists, and the voice continued bothering me:</p><p>“You must kill. You must kill, or you must die.” There were two Dunmer mages and an Orcish barbarian inside. They weren’t worthy opponents for an Ordinator who went into the fortress of Dagoth Ur, and two Nord warriors. As the cultists fell, the voice laughed hysterically, in the same manner as last time. The voice addressed me again: “I said kill everyone,” putting an emphasis on “everyone.” Did he want me to kill my temporary companions too? Before I had time to do anything, I noticed that the Daedra broke their will, and the two brothers started fighting with each other.</p><p>As one of them fell, the other immediately turned against me. I didn’t have a choice but to defend myself. As the second Nord fell, the voice laughed with satisfaction, and then addressed me again:</p><p>“Good job, little bloodsucker. Now, approach my altar.”</p><p>I didn’t want to do that, I just wanted to escape from this place. I turned around and ran towards the entrance. A few seconds later, a shock spell, that came out from nothing hit me. The metallic parts of my Indoril armor amplified it, and I fell to my knees.</p><p>“If I say approach my altar, you approach my altar, mortal.” – The voice commanded, with rage.</p><p>I felt that I didn’t have a choice, so I did the bidding of the voice and approached the statue of Molag Bal. When I did that, the sacrifices in front of the statue disappeared. Clearly the cultists were in the middle of a ritual for summoning him, when we entered. The voice addressed me, and jumped into the middle of explaining a situation in a theatrical manner:</p><p>“Menta Na! He will pay for his insolence. Listen well – those in my service will do my bidding, or they will suffer eternal torment. You will serve me, mortal. Menta Na has grown careless and lazy. He sits in his wretched cave while life on the surface goes on unmolested. He was spawned a creature of terror! His role is to sow fear and discord among men and mer, yet he is content to stay locked in his cave and mock my will! Kill him, mortal. Set his soul flying to the Outer Realms so that I might show him eternal torture for his disobedience. Take this key. You will find him in the caves of Kora-Dur, east of Kogoruhn. Kill this lazy fool for me, mortal. Do this, and you will have my favor.”</p><p>A key appeared in front of the shrine, which I took. I didn’t have the intention to serve Molag Bal, but I wanted to get out from that place and thought that killing one of his minions would be something that I would do anyway, as an Ordinator, therefore I was not actually serving him, but serving the Temple by getting rid of a Daedra. I went to Kogoruhn, through Maar Gan and Urshilaku territory, just like the last time I went there. I noticed two differences: Outside Maar Gan, there was a small Ashlander camp now, clearly with the intention to fulfill their promise to the Dissident Priests that they would teach the settled folk about our ancient ways that we abandoned. Kogoruhn was still occupied by the Ordinators, in spite of the defeat of Dagoth Ur, but as I heard it was uncertain which faction would acquire it later, or if any faction would acquire it at all. This ancient Dunmer fortress in the middle of nowhere was priceless in our battle against Dagoth Ur, but with our foe defeated, it didn’t really hold a lot of value, and the factions were rather interested in the mines and the Dwemer ruins of Red Mountain. I walked past the fortress, without calling the attention of my comrades upon myself. I wondered whether they had found and buried that fallen Ordinator whose armor I was wearing. I hoped that they did. I started walking eastwards, and after about an hour, I came across a cave, with a locked wooden door. I tried using the key, and it indeed fit, and I opened the door. I descended into the cave.</p><p>The cave was empty and looked just like an ordinary cave. I descended further below when I spotted some remnants of Daedric architecture. Perhaps a Daedric shrine was situated here in the past. I saw a Daedroth, sitting on a throne, surrounded by gems, gold, and other treasures. I assumed it to be this “Menta Na.” I immediately drew my club. It wasn’t a long fight, and it was clear that Molag Bal was right about this minion being worthless. It could only scratch me once, giving me a light wound, and I could defeat it easily.</p><p>After the Daedroth had fallen, I took its treasures. There were a couple of gems, such as emeralds and rubies, a few hundred gold, a grand soul gem, and a few magical scrolls. There were some vials of skooma too, but I decided to leave that alone. This Daedra indeed preferred to party instead of terrorizing mortals. Still, I was glad that there was one less monster around. I returned to Yansirramus. As I approached the altar, the voice of Molag Bal addressed me again:</p><p>“Ah, you have freed the soul of Menta Na! Torment will be his. Endless agony is all he will know until the end of time. You have performed well, mortal. Take this and use it well. Bring strife and discord with you wherever you may travel. You will be my servant again. Look at where the slaves of the false gods keep their secrets from you and get your hands on them. Now go.”</p><p>A vision appeared in front of me. It was the office of Berel Sala. On the floor, there was a trapdoor. The vision took me there, and underneath, a room was revealed. It was a library. In the library, the vision showed me one particular book, which was hidden in a chest, under a table. Then the vision faded.</p><p>Next, a mace appeared in front of me. I picked it up and left the shrine. The words of Molag Bal terrified me about giving endless torment to that Daedroth until the end of time. Perhaps I shouldn’t have killed it? Then I looked at the mace, and recognized it, based on a description I have read in a book once: It was the infamous Mace of Molag Bal, which was also known as the Vampire’s Mace. It was an evil instrument, which transferred the strength and the Magicka of anyone who was killed with it into the bearer. While the book mentioned that Molag Bal was quite free with giving this artifact out, I didn’t understand why would he give it to me. Just for killing one Daedroth who was worthless among its kind? Then I remembered his words, that I should be his servant and I should “bring strife and discord.” Did he want me to take this Daedroth’s place and terrorize mortals with the help of that terrible mace? And would I be punished eternally if I refused to do it, like the Daedroth? Or did the service to Molag Bal refer to the vision, and getting my hands on the “secrets of the false gods?”</p><p>I remembered that my friend, Tralas Rendas, told me my future when I turned 18, before I did the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces:</p><p>“You will have to make a choice between your flesh or your soul, and there is so much killing – so much death yet to come, Alice. Seek out the false ones, and let light where it has not been for centuries to be born again.”</p><p>The part about the “so much killing and so much death yet to come” supported the first theory, while the part about “seeking out the false ones, and let light where it has not been for centuries” supported the latter. Perhaps it was both? And what did the choice “between my flesh and soul” refer to? Even if the vision was right, and under the office of Berel Sala, there were secrets hidden, I didn’t have the means to get there without being noticed. For now, I went back to Maar Gan, and hid this terrible mace in the secret container of my mother, hoping that no one would find it, and pretended that nothing happened. But if it was my destiny to serve Molag Bal in any way, and he chose me as his champion or something similar, could I really escape that?</p><p>I was thinking about the current tension in the Temple. I tried to explain it to myself that the mace was just a reward, which was up to me to decide whether I want to use it or not, I wasn’t supposed to be an instrument of Molag Bal who must kill and torment mortals, but I was supposed to be an instrument of the Daedra who would take back their rightful place in Dunmer hearts with the help of the Dissident Priests, and perhaps with my help too. Yes, Molag Bal wanted me to reveal a secret document which would prove that the Dissident Priests were right once and for all, and initiate the reform of the Temple. I also hoped that seeing this alleged document would also convince me personally about the necessity to abandon worshiping Almsivi, and finding something else. In that case, the first part of the prophecy about the killing and death was already fulfilled, as I was an Ordinator after all and I had my fair share of killing and bringing death. At least, that was what I hoped.</p><p>A few days later, a courier arrived at Maar Gan, delivering a letter to me. The letter requested my presence in the High Fane at once, as the Archcanon, Tholer Saryoni himself wanted to talk with me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meeting with the Archcanon. A description of the conflict between the Ordinators and the Dissident Priests. Witnessing the massacre of Dissident Priests by Ordinators, and the suspicion that Uvoo may have supported them in that. The assassination of the Archcanon, and a new job from Berel Sala: Bringing justice to the Dissident Priests for that.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I immediately took the first silt strider to Ald-ruhn, and used the teleport of the Mages’ Guild to get to Vivec from there. I felt honored that the Archcanon himself would require my presence. Tholer Saryoni was a living legend. His sermons inspired Dunmer all around Morrowind to join the Temple, and he was responsible for a small spiritual awakening decades before the Dissident Priests went public. He was also rumored to be the perfect example of what he preached, the Seven Graces. He was so generous that the poor received tens of thousands of gold of his wealth as acts of charity. Even before he became the leader of the Temple, he was a fearless adventurer who defeated many Daedra and other abominations. Clearly, he was the best what the Temple had to offer, and the perfect for leading the faction. However, he was old and sick now, and people wanted a change from how the Temple worked for centuries. Probably it was only the general respect towards him which allowed him to keep his rank and with it, the fragile unity of the Temple. I looked forward to meeting him, but I wondered: What would he want from me? After all, I wasn’t a Temple Mistress, just an Ordinator. I entered the High Fane, introduced myself, and showed an Ordinator the letter that I received from the courier. He told me to follow him, until we arrived before a closed door in a secluded part of the facility. He opened it with a key, and told me to enter. I entered, and he followed me inside. It was the office of the Archcanon himself. While several high-ranking people in the Temple preferred luxury, Saryoni’s office had a simplistic design, with a desk and two chairs, and only a couple of bookshelves.</p><p>– Disciple Elisamsi from the Order of War, Serjo. – The Ordinator announced. The Archcanon stood up from his desk, and signaled to the Ordinator that he can leave. The Ordinator left the office, and closed the door behind him, as Saryoni approached me, extending one of his arms towards me. As Temple protocol dictated, (which most of us had to learn, even though for the majority of the people it was impossible that they would even meet the Archcanon once in their life) I had to greet him with a curtsy, and kiss the ring on his finger. I did that. Only after that did he tell me to sit down. He sat opposite to me.</p><p>– Thank you for coming, Elisamsi. – He told me.</p><p>– It’s an honor to meet you, Serjo. Your sermons inspired me to do the Pilgrimages of the Seven Graces, and join the Temple. – I replied.</p><p>– I sent for you because I believe I can fully trust you with a delicate situation. In the short time since our victory at Red Mountain, the unity of the Temple has been shaken. The Dissident Priests have begun preaching openly, and they are winning many converts. Berel Sala suggested that we should react with violence and arrests, however, I’m not convinced that it would do anything to help. Lord Vivec has been strangely silent lately, and I fear that without his guidance, the Ordinators, who are not compelled to follow my word, would start persecuting the Dissident Priests, as soon as Serjo Sala’s patience runs out. In fact, some of their most zealous members already murdered one preacher, but luckily we could keep that a secret from the public so far, and make it look like an accident.</p><p>I listened to the mer in silence, making sure not to intervene and come across as disrespectful. He continued:</p><p>– You are generally respected by everyone whom I talked with, and your record of service in the Temple is flawless. You are relatively high-ranking, and an Indoril noblewoman now. You recovered several Temple artifacts from the hands of our enemies, and you have defeated the Sixth House cultists at Hassour, including their leader, Dagoth Fovon and the leader of the Berne Clan, Raxle Berne. Most importantly, you accompanied the Nerevarine to Dagoth Ur. I think that it might not be an exaggeration if I called you a heroine, as even the most closed-minded traditionalist in the city of Almalexia would nod approvingly hearing about these.</p><p>– I’m only doing my duty, Serjo. – I told him, but deep inside my heart, I felt pride that Tholer Saryoni himself would acknowledge my deeds.</p><p>– On the other hand, you are an Ashlander. – He continued. – And you were imprisoned in the Ministry of Truth for aiding the Nerevarine, when they were still persecuted.</p><p>– Actually… – I started speaking, wanting to explain it to him that I didn’t help them back then, it was just a misunderstanding, but Saryoni raised his hand, signaling to me to remain silent.</p><p>– You were helping the Nerevarine, and you were persecuted by the misguided, overly zealous members of the Ordinators. – He stated. I understood it. History has been rewritten again. – Therefore, as you see you are somewhere between the orthodox wing of the Temple and the Dissident Priests. Just like me. You have traits that both sides would appreciate, therefore I want you to become the leader of the Ordinators.</p><p>– With all due respect, Serjo. – I told him. – Wouldn’t it require years of service before I could even hope that maybe one day I would be considered for such a position?</p><p>– Don’t think that I’m a fool, girl. I’m old, but not a fool. – He told me, perhaps with a bit of rage in his voice. – Of course. I didn’t say right away. I have a few years left before I would be unable to do my duties as the Archanon. During those few years, we would build you up, make you earn even more titles and fame, and present you as an Ordinator who is not overly zealous, but honestly cares about the protection of the faithful. You’ll replace Berel Sala, and Gilvas Barelo will replace me as Archcanon. Together, you two will reform the Temple. We’ll return to worshiping the ancestors and the Good Daedra, and we’ll focus more on charity and teaching the ignorant, but we’ll protect ourselves against the Four Corners and keep the Ordinators. Even though Dagoth Ur has been defeated, we’ll need you more than ever. I saw a terrible vision of the future, but I’ll only reveal that to you once you take over the Ordinators. On the other hand, we cannot have the zealotry of Sala, and risk a schism of the faction, and people leaving the faith. We must have the Ordinators, but not in the current form.</p><p>I was surprised. It was only about half a year ago that I joined the Ordinators, and Serjo Saryoni already considered me to become their new leader. It was true that I have done some deeds that may have been considered extraordinary, and that I possessed qualities that would be favorable in the eyes of both factions inside the Temple, but I wasn’t sure that among all the Ordinators available I was the most suitable candidate, especially considering that Molag Bal wanted me to serve him as well. A thought occurred to me: Maybe under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have been the most suitable candidate, the Ordinators simply ran out from other worthy candidates. After all, the appearance of the Nerevarine, and the defeat of Dagoth Ur claimed the lives of hundreds, not to mention all those occurrences when the Ordinators failed, such as the killing of Raxle Berne, where (in spite of prevailing in the end) we lost 22 soldiers during the conquest of the vampire stronghold. I replied to Saryoni’s idea:</p><p>– I don’t know, Serjo. Gilvas Barelo is rumored to be very much against Ordinators, and is certain that our order must be disbanded. – I admitted.</p><p>– Barelo’s way is the future of the Temple in general, but he is too fanatical. We need the protection of the Ordinators from the Four Corners. And we need to let the traditionalists preserve something of the old ways, otherwise, they would initiate the schism, which might end with violence. We’ll make him see that under a new leader, the Ordinators are protecting the Dunmer in the name of Alm…</p><p>He stopped for a moment, and I couldn’t help but smile slightly at the mer’s mistake. He continued:</p><p>– The good Daedra and the ancestors, instead of persecuting them.</p><p>– So you want to initiate the reform yourself, for Barelo to finish it, but make sure that the reform would happen according to your own terms. I see one problem only: Would Serjo Sala just sit idly and allow us to do this? – I asked.</p><p>– No, this is why we should begin while we have a chance, and there’s peace between the two factions.</p><p>– And have you considered that I might be on the side of Sala? – I asked.</p><p>– I assumed that after being tortured in the Ministry of Truth… – He hesitated. He clearly took every possibility in his plan into consideration, besides this. He was certain that someone tortured in the Ministry of Truth would despise Serjo Sala.</p><p>– Of course. – I explained. – I saw the Ministry of Truth, and I know that the Ordinators kidnap people, and torture them, and persecute everyone. You must know that I work for the Order of the Inquisition too, so I know that they have spies everywhere too and want to control every aspect of Dunmer life. Yes, I despise that. And I saw Serjo Sala’s office too. He likes luxury, unlike you. He even has a Dwemer goblet, did you know that? Is this how the tax that the people pay to the Temple spent? And naturally, I saw the fulfillment of the Nerevarine prophecies with my own eyes, which proves that the doctrine of the Temple was wrong. However, I worshiped the Tribunal all in my life. Do you expect me to just give up on that? Now suddenly people appear denying that they are gods. Why should I believe that? Prove it! – Perhaps I was way too passionate with my tone, and this great mer didn’t deserve that. However, he didn’t point out my obvious mistake, instead, he patiently started explaining to me:</p><p>– I know that the Dissident Priests are right. The highest-ranking members of the Temple have access to a secret library, underneath the office of Serjo Sala. – He told me. This was the office that Molag Bal showed me in the vision. It was true then, and not just a trick. – If you agree to follow my plan, I will show you some of the secret documents that talk about the divinity of the Tribunal in detail. If you become the new leader of the Ordinators, you will have access to the entire library, and all our hidden teachings and secrets.</p><p>Saryoni convinced me. Perhaps he was just lucky with a guess, or perhaps he could somehow find out that what I crave the most was knowledge and I would be willing to risk many things – such as imprisonment in the Ministry of Truth – if it was offered to me. Molag Bal also wanted me to find that library, and the prophecy that I received when I turned 18 also said that I was destined to “let light where it has not been for centuries.” Perhaps my destiny was becoming the leader of the Ordinators, and opening the library for the public to speed up the reforms in the Temple.</p><p>– All right. So what are your orders for me? – I asked.</p><p>– The Dissident Priests have not been idle. They have announced they are taking back the remains of Dilsele Llethri from the Ghostgate shrine to the Llethri Ancestral Tomb. Dilsele Llethri was the hero of the Arnesian War, and the brother of Garisa Llethri, the Redoran councilor. Like many heroes, his remains were used to power the Ghostfence. With this public statement, the Dissident Priests hope to remind us that we should actively seek to return to traditional ancestor worship and that the Tribunal failed to protect us from the Sixth House. I want you to go there, and as a gesture, hand the remains over to them in the form of a ceremony. This gesture will build bridges between the factions instead of burning them.</p><p>I told the Archcanon that I would do as he asked, and went to Ghostgate. I still needed some time to get used to the sight of the beautiful, clear blue skies and the disappearance of the Ghostfence. I entered the fortress, which turned pretty empty in the last couple of weeks. With the Sixth House gone, it lost its function as one of the most important fortresses, and it became (from the viewpoint of security) an insignificant pilgrimage site. In the tavern, a couple of Buoyant Armigers were drinking, but the army of priests, merchants and smiths, who previously inhabited the place, were gone. There were neither drillmasters around, who constantly trained new soldiers to fight, nor freelancer adventurers who dared to venture beyond the Ghostfence to get rich or – unintentionally – catch Corprus.</p><p>I had entered the Temple of Ghostgate, and what I saw there frightened me. Five or six Dunmer corpses lying on the floor, killed by swords. Seeing dead people wasn’t frightening for me anymore, being an Ordinator, and it was neither the fact that we were in a Dunmer Temple which shocked me. After all, after the battle against the Sixth House, many people died here, who were treated with their wounds. It was the fact that they were killed right here. Some of the priests were praying for the dead, and my instinct told me to immediately look for Mistress Uvoo Llaren. I wanted to make sure that she was safe. I think that perhaps I cared more for her than I was willing to admit and what was acceptable in a situation that she outranked me in the Temple. But perhaps if I became the leader of the Ordinators…</p><p>I found her in the end, and I immediately addressed her.</p><p>– Are you okay? What happened here? – I asked.</p><p>– It was sad to see them walk to their deaths. I almost feel sorry for the Ordinators… they have been forced into this position. If they allowed them to walk away with the ashes, then everyone might want to dig up their ancestors. – She told me.</p><p>– What? The Ordinators killed them for wanting to take some remains that were not needed here anymore? – I asked in disbelief. It was certain now that the deeds of the Ordinators couldn’t be kept a secret this time, and the conflict between the factions of the Temple would escalate.</p><p>– They don’t really care about the Llethri family, Alice, they just need an excuse to attack the Temple as a center of religion and authority. But they don’t propose an alternative. Without the Temple, who would you turn to as a guide – Mehrunes Dagon?</p><p>I understood how she felt. It seemed that she was on Sala’s side concerning the future of the Temple. It was indeed a frightening thought that the Tribunal, whom we celebrated as divine were false gods, and we would need to find something else to worship, as a nation. However, the fact that she was siding with the Ordinators in the massacre of innocents was like a slap in the face for me. I tried to explain it to myself that as the Ordinators were quite independent inside the structure of the Temple, and acted on their own, she was powerless to stop them, and they wouldn’t have listened to her. I wanted an explanation, and I wanted her to be innocent in this. But I couldn’t stay there. I knew that it was more important to inform Serjo Saryoni about the events, than my personal feelings towards this woman. I walked, or rather ran back to Ald-ruhn, and teleported back to Vivec with the Mages’ Guild. I ran through the city, to arrive at the High Fane. I entered, and rushed to the office of Saryoni. Strangely, in this otherwise secure fortress, no one tried to stop me, or demanded to explain myself. I saw that most of the priests and Ordinators were in front of the office of the Archcanon, nervously discussing. I spotted the corpse of Serjo Saryoni on the floor, examined by an Ordinator.</p><p>– The Dissident Priests have killed the Archcanon. You should speak with Serjo Sala. – He told me. The explanation sounded suspicious for me. Someone slit the throat of the Archcanon. It may have been difficult to sneak into this facility. How could one from the Dissident Priests have the skills to kill him? And why was this Ordinator so sure that they were the Dissident Priests already, without an investigation? It could have been anyone from the Morag Tong to the Empire. What motivation would the Dissident Priests have? Why would they alienate their cause from the faithful of the Temple by killing such a popular person, especially when it was likely that they could take the entire organization over in a few years? It wasn’t like Saryoni opposed them that much. All he wanted was a less radical reform of the Temple, but he agreed with their core tenets.</p><p>Perhaps it was Berel Sala? He had proven it to me in the past that he was capable of scheming. Perhaps he understood that Saryoni essentially sided with the Dissident Priests, and would initiate the reforms himself, and replace him as the leader of the Ordinators. By putting the blame on the Dissident Priests for the murder, Sala could get rid of both of his enemies. Nevertheless, I did as the Ordinator in the office of the Archcanon asked me, and went over to the Hall of Justice, and entered Berel Sala’s office. As I entered, he immediately addressed me:</p><p>– We need to talk, Rithari. Archcanon Saryoni has been murdered by the Dissident Priests. I blame myself – I have allowed this disease to spread for too long. They speak with glib tongues, but they threaten everything we stand for. Without the Temple in its current form, Morrowind would fall into chaos. The Great Houses would build armies to attack one another. The Daedric cults would flourish, allowing the blood lust of Molag Bal and the madness of Sheogorath to spread unchecked.</p><p>I listened to him in silence, waiting for him to go on:</p><p>– Only the power of the Tribunal and the strength of our people’s faith prevents such chaos. You may disagree with my methods, but consider the alternatives…are you willing to be responsible for Morrowind’s descent into anarchy? Would you have us slaves to the Argonians? The Temple is better than any alternative. – He told me, and by “his methods,” I assumed that he talked about the massacre at Ghostgate. He continued: – I want you to be in charge of finding the Dissident Priests, and executing them. You may want to start by joining your fellow Ordinators at Holamayan. We learned that this ancient monastery was their headquarters, and we went there to root them out, but they have escaped. A ship is waiting for you with a team of Ordinators at the Foreign Quarter, to take you there.</p><p>I nodded, and told him that I would head there immediately, before I left his office. I was eager to learn the truth, and find the Dissident Priests. I didn’t want to kill them, I just wanted to talk with them, and see whether they really killed the Archcanon or not. If they did, which I highly doubted at that point, I would do Serjo Sala’s bidding. If they didn’t, then I would dedicate my efforts to reveal the identity of the real murderer with their help. Either way, the leader of one of the factions in the Temple would die, and I would prevent a schism in the Temple, according to Serjo Saryoni’s wishes. Regardless of which of them were right from a theological point of view, initiating violence against the faithful was a sin, and such a person couldn’t live, no matter how benevolent intentions they were having. If the Dissidents killed the Archcanon, and Sala just responded to that by the massacre at Ghostgate, then he was right, and he had to take drastic measures against these violent fanatics. As I said, I doubted that this was the case, but I didn’t want to jump into conclusions without investigating the matter further. The other scenario seemed more likely: Sala initiated violence against the priests and Ghostgate, and killed Saryoni too, in which case he was the fanatic who committed a sin against the faithful. Back then, I never asked the question from myself: Did my feelings about Mistress Uvoo Llaren – who seemingly sided with Sala – have anything to do with my careful approach to this question? Or the fact that it would have been uncomfortable for me to give up my faith in the Tribunal – something I got accustomed to all in my life? Did I really only leave the possibility of Sala’s innocence open (going against my common sense) because I wanted to be careful before I judged anyone? Perhaps I was also afraid: What if Sala learned about Saryoni’s intention to replace him with me? Surely, I would perish in the Ministry of Truth, if I expressed any desire of wanting his power. So for now, I played along, and decided to take a side only later.</p><p>The ship took me to Holamayan Monastery. It was a monastery hidden from the view by the hills surrounding it. It was also situated on a small island at the Azura’s Coast, which I dismissed as irrelevant, every time I looked at that part of my map. On the site, one Ordinator explained it to me that the entrance was sealed magically, and only opened at dawn and dusk, as Lord Nerevar himself had this monastery built, who was Azura’s champion, and wanted to dedicate the site to glory of the princess of dawn and dusk. We didn’t have any other choice, but to wait until the morning, so that the door would open, and we could enter. The next morning, I finally went inside, and saw another group of Ordinators, who were investigating the site, and had all the bookshelves turned, looking for clues. I did the same, and I took my time to look around. The monastery itself was unremarkable, similar to any Temple, with a small library, a kitchen, bedrooms, a common area, and an area for praying with several shrines. However, the sealed door must have made those inside feel protected. It was probably not a coincidence that the persecuted Dissident Priests had chosen this location as their headquarters, before the Nerevarine appeared. I looked into several books, to see if there were any hidden notes that I could find. I looked in chests and crates to find anything, but I couldn’t. I addressed one of the Ordinators inside:</p><p>– I’m Rithari, and I’m in charge of this investigation. Anything to report?</p><p>– Greetings, Muthsera. Before we were able to get in here, they all escaped, including their leader. Our work is not done as long as they live. Unfortunately, I have no word of where they may have gone. – He reported.</p><p>– Did you find any clues? A note perhaps?</p><p>– No, Muthsera.</p><p>– Any entrances of the building, besides the main door?</p><p>– We didn’t find any.</p><p>– Curious. Then they must have left long before you arrived, as the door only opens at a specific time. It opens at dawn and dusk. Let’s say you arrived at dusk…</p><p>– We arrived at night to have a surprise attack. – He corrected me. – We had to wait until dawn for the door to open. We only learned later that this monastery was dedicated to Azura, and the doors opened only at dawn and dusk from a book that I had found inside, detailing the history of the place.</p><p>– Right, it doesn’t matter. – I continued, dismissing the self-importance of this Ordinator – You arrived at night, and you stormed the place as soon as the door opened. They couldn’t slip out during the night, as they were trapped inside for ten hours essentially, with the door closed. Therefore, they must have learned about your planned arrival at least ten hours before you arrived, in order to escape. So somebody must have warned them. How did you arrive here?</p><p>– We took a ship from Vivec.</p><p>– I heard a rumor that the Temples of Suran and Vos joined the Dissident Priests, and while some Dissidents came to Vivec to preach, none of those already present joined. Did you arrest the priests of Suran and Vos, by the way?</p><p>– We arrested the priestess of the Suran Temple, Muthsera. She will be interrogated, of course. However, we couldn’t arrest Yakin Bael, the priest of Vos.</p><p>– Let me guess: Master Aryon came to his defense.</p><p>– Of course.</p><p>– Well, I’ll go there then. Maybe he knows something and I can convince him to reveal it. – I turned around to leave the monastery. As I stepped outside, I noticed that the door was closing, right in front of my eyes. I couldn’t risk slipping through in the last moment, the door might have crushed me. A second later, it closed, and I was trapped inside. Great! I would lose ten hours sitting there, and giving the Dissident Priests time to go further away. As I was pondering that, the Ordinator from inside came out, with a scroll in his hand. He addressed me:</p><p>– If it’s urgent that you leave right now, Muthsera, just use a Scroll of Almsivi Intervention. – He told me, and handed the scroll over to me. Of course! How could I be so stupid? When the Telvanni mage during the siege of Dagoth Ur told me that I was an unimaginative warrior, oblivious about the ways of magic, he was right. It didn’t even occur to me that they could have used magic to escape. Perhaps no one warned them, they just heard the Ordinators outside during the night, and escaped before the door opened. It was worth investigating this possibility. I read the scroll, and a second later, I found myself in front of the Temple of Molag Mar.</p><p>Master Tharer Rotheloth, who was taking a walk on the streets of Molag Mar and was about to enter the Temple addressed me, as he spotted me:</p><p>– Elisamsi! I’m so glad to see you. I have an urgent task for you.</p><p>– I’m terribly sorry Master, but I’m working on an urgent case now too. – I admitted. Whatever necromancer or vampire needed to die could wait in that situation.</p><p>– I know. A number of Dissident Priests showed up in front of the Temple. – He told me. – One of the Ordinators recognized the leader, and we attacked. Unfortunately, two of them were able to hinder us long enough for the others to escape. The task is connected to this. Come inside. – He told me, and we entered the Temple together to talk. He continued talking to me inside:</p><p>– There is a group of Ashlanders at – what was that name – Kaushtababi Camp? They recently settled there after leaving their former tribe over some point of their Ashlander honor. But the land they are on belongs to the Temple. I fear if this is not resolved soon, it may lead to bloodshed. Go speak with them and see if they can be convinced to leave. If they mean to stay, then try to find out what they expect. Ashlanders reserve the right to raid for ‘booty and slaves’ from what I understand. But if they try that here I will have the Ordinators wipe them out. Their camp is just south of Molag Mar, but you’ll have to go over or around the mountains. Considering the alliance between the Dissident Priests and the Ashlanders, they might hide them in their camp, or know where they fled to from Molag Mar.</p><p>I told Master Rotheloth that I would accept his task, and either convince the Ashlanders to leave the land to the south of Molag Mar, or report to Master Rotheloth about their intentions, if they insisted on staying. Perhaps in the process, I would find the Dissident Priests too, or at least gain the trust of these Ashlanders, and convince them to reveal what they know about their location. I eagerly left Molag Mar to go over the mountains and find the camp.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meeting with the Ashlanders near Molag Mar, and how Alice helped them. Meeting with Gilvas Barelo, the leader of the Dissident Priests, and learning the truth about Almsivi and the Temple.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I had found a narrow passage, through which I could enter a green valley beyond the mountain range to the south of Molag Mar. The valley looked idyllic, and the temperature was pleasant despite the heat of the summer, because besides the mountains that surrounded it, the valley also had a lake, whose water was crystal clear. I understood why this Ashlander tribe would choose this location. I would have gladly lived there too – in a proper house. On the shore of the lake, an Ashlander boy was grazing a couple of guars. I asked him about the location of his camp, and he directed me there, but warned me that I should talk with their wise woman before I do anything else. The one whom I needed was the Ashkhan, because on one hand, I wanted to either make them leave or find out their intentions, on the other hand, I wanted to inquire about the location of the Dissident Priests, who may have fled here. Naturally, I understood some of the customs of Ashlanders, as one of them myself, and I knew that it was considered to be an insult if one entered the yurt of somebody without permission, so I thought that I would speak with the Wise Woman first, as it was recommended to me.</p><p>I found the camp, which had four yurts altogether. I have never been to an Ashlander camp before, so I looked around with much interest. Inside the camp, a few Ashlanders were doing their jobs, one of them was weaving a basket, another one was trying to make a campfire. There was no sign of the Dissident Priests in the camp. A woman approached me, after spotting me entering the camp. She addressed me:</p><p>– Welcome to our new tribe. I am Ibanammu Assutladainab, the Wise Woman.</p><p>– Thank you. – I told her. – I am Elisamsi. I was sent by the Temple of Molag Mar, and I wish to talk with your Ashkhan. – I explained. There was no reason to reveal my other reason, concerning the Dissident Priests. At least not until I gained their trust.</p><p>– Elisamsi? That’s a Velothi name. Which tribe are you from, sister?</p><p>– None. I’m settled. My mother was Urshilaku. – I replied.</p><p>– We have left our former tribe for honorable reasons and are starting a new tribe – Kaushtababi tribe. As Wise Woman it is my duty to provide counsel. The Spirits have whispered to me that someone of Urshilaku blood would come, in service of the false gods, and that this stranger would aid us. I think that you might be this stranger. The Spirits told me that this stranger would be known by how he or she answers a particular question.</p><p>– Ask your question then. – I told her. I wasn’t sure whether I should believe any of that superstition, but if such a thing was necessary to find the Dissident Priests, then so be it. And I may even learn something new about the Ashlander ways in the process.</p><p>– On a clear day, you chance upon a strange animal, its leg trapped in a hunter’s trap. Judging from the bleeding it will not survive long. What do you do? – She asked.</p><p>My instinct told me that I should free the animal from the trap, however, as I was thinking about the question, it occurred to me that by doing it, I may deprive a hunter’s family of food. However, the animal suffers from the pain, and it would take a lot of time before it bleeds to death, so at least I could mercifully kill it to end its misery. On the other hand, the animal may be able to free itself before dying, and by doing it I deprive it of that chance. Therefore by anything that I do, I might do something good and bad, so the best option would be non-intervention, and letting fortune to take its course. As I was thinking about that, a somehow darker thought occurred to me: I might even take this opportunity and watch the creature struggling to get away, in order to learn something new. Or maybe even steal the carcass after that, and eat it myself. After a few minutes, I replied:</p><p>– I would leave it alone and be on my way. – The temptation was definitely inside me to say something else, but in general, this option seemed to be the best morally.</p><p>– I see. Very well. May it be as the Spirits foresaw. You must be the one of whom They spoke. Elisamsi, I urge you to enter our Ashkahn’s yurt and speak with Kaushtababi tribe’s Ashkhan, Adibael Hainnabibi. He will describe to you the tasks that lie before us.</p><p>I thanked the Wise Woman, and proceeded towards the yurt which was the biggest among the four. I was glad that these “Spirits” told about my arrival, it definitely made it easier. I wondered, however, whether these “Spirits” were the ancestors of this Ashlander tribe, or perhaps it was Molag Bal again who intervened. Or maybe an entirely unknown force decided to grant aid to me in my attempt to talk with the Ashkhan. I expected that I would be treated with more hostility, being an Ordinator, and I didn’t want to leave my uniform and weapon behind to disguise myself as a “real” Ashlander again, as it cost me too much last time. I entered. Seeing a yurt of my people from the inside was fascinating to me. It contained several bedrolls, all arranged at the rim of the yurt, and it had several crates and a table with a few chairs. It was all ready to be packed up onto the guars, if they needed to leave. Honestly, I wouldn’t have lived among them, in spite of my roots. I preferred the comforts of civilization, good meals, bathing in hot water, beautiful clothes, jewelry, and perfume. Inside, a mer waited for me, whose face was painted and had clothes made out of guar hide.</p><p>– Under sun and sky, Ashkhan. – I addressed him. – I am Elisamsi. Your Wise Woman sent me to talk with you.</p><p>– Do you have a thoughtful gift for me? – He asked, without returning my greeting.</p><p>It was a custom among Ashlanders to give gifts to each other. Among two strangers, who didn’t know each other’s taste and personality at all, the easiest thing to do was giving gold, which could have been spent in any way. I handed over 100 gold to him. It wasn’t a lot for me at that point, I made good money as an Ordinator, and I got a huge compensation for my time in the Ministry of Truth. The Ashkhan was happy, he could hardly hide it from me.</p><p>– Thank you, Elisamsi. Let’s talk. The Erabenimsun had become war-loving and cruel under Ashkhan Ulath-Pal who strayed from the true path of Velothi custom in his rage against the Imperials and the settled Dunmer who support them. – Even though not all settled Dunmer supported the Imperials, I assumed that for an Ashlander, it seemed like that way. – We left our former tribe, and we are founding a new tribe – Kaushtababi tribe. Even though Ulath-Pal is dead now, what happened happened, and we are no longer welcome there.</p><p>– And what are your intentions in this land? – I asked.</p><p>– We wish to peacefully follow the true customs of the Velothi here – to hunt and herd, to respect the land and our ancestors, and to raise our children to follow the true customs of the Velothi as well. But the Settled People in Molag Mar say this land belongs to them, as if the land belongs to anyone. – He told me, pointing out that Ashlanders, in general, lacked the concept of private property, as their lifestyle was based on sharing everything with each other. – We are still a small tribe and their many warriors could destroy us in their anger. We must talk with them to live in peace together. As a member of their Temple, your voice would be heard over mine.</p><p>– I will tell Master Rotheloth about your peaceful intentions and do my best to convince him to leave you in peace. – I told him and left the camp.</p><p>I went over the passage and returned to Molag Mar. In the Temple, I addressed Master Rotheloth:</p><p>– Master, those Ashlanders wish to live peacefully, hunting and herding. They do not threaten the safety of Molag Mar. – I told him. I was ready to hear him saying “thank you” and leave this place with the job well done, and return to the Ashlanders who would hopefully trust me enough after this to tell me what they know about the location of the Dissident Priests. Unfortunately for me, however, Master Rotheloth was not convinced:</p><p>– I need more than just their words. Ashlanders reserve the right to raid others for loot and slaves. I know. They also come from the aggressive Erabenimsun tribe, and a cliff racer cannot change its feathers as the saying goes. I must think of the safety of the pilgrims around Molag Mar. An Ashlander band raided a pilgrim caravan a few weeks ago. The guards drove them off but not before a few items were stolen. One of them was a copy of Sermons of Vivec specially illustrated and bound, annotated by the late Archcanon Saryoni himself – may Almsivi bless his soul. We think that the Erabenimsun tribe has it. If these Kaushtababi Ashlanders can help you retrieve this holy book from their ‘former’ tribe and you return it to me at Molag Mar I will accept that they are not Erabenimsun and will allow them to remain with a few conditions.</p><p>– Help me retrieve it? – I protested by putting an emphasis on “me.” I didn’t have time for this.</p><p>– How else can we be sure they were not the ones who stole it in the first place then? And if they help you, an Ordinator, against the Erabenimsun then I can be confident these Kaushtababi Ashlanders are truly separate from the Erabenimsun. Do not tell their leader my reasonings, as if they are really Erabenimsun they may plot some way to deceive us and still return the holy book. – He told me.</p><p>I returned to the camp, and entered the Ashkhan’s yurt to tell him the news.</p><p>– Ashkhan, Master Rotheloth doesn’t trust your word and he needs proof of your sincerity. – I told him.</p><p>– The Temple lied to the people for so long that they cannot even hear the truth when it is spoken to them. What proof does he want?</p><p>– He wants a book titled Sermons of Vivec, from the Erabenimsun Camp.</p><p>– If helping you get back the book of their false god will prove that we are not Erabenimsun anymore then that is what we shall do. Aivilo from the Erabenimsun Camp is friendly to the Kaushtababi. If you go ask her about the book and tell her you have been sent by the Kaushtababi tribe she may be able to help you find it. – He told me.</p><p>I left his yurt, annoyed that I would have to go to the Erabenimsun Camp. I had a more important job, however with the lack of my help to reconcile Molag Mar and these Ashlanders, Master Rotheloth would just send a force to slaughter them, therefore I didn’t have any other choice but to go there. Luckily, at least I knew the way there, as we passed next to this camp on our way to Galom Daeus. After long hours walking through the Molag Amur region, I arrived at the camp. At least it seemed that after the Nerevarine’s victory at Red Mountain, the ash storms were less frequent so they didn’t hinder my journey. I was scared that the Erabenimsun Ashlanders would attack me, and then I would be forced to either defend myself, or flee, but they left me alone. The Nerevarine indeed changed their ways. After given directions and permission by one of them, I entered a yurt and found the girl named Aivilo.</p><p>– Under sun and sky, sister. I’m Elisamsi.</p><p>– What is that armor, Elisamsi? – She asked me. – We don’t want trouble here with the settled people anymore, if you killed one of the soldiers of the false gods and took his armor, get out of here.</p><p>– Don’t worry. I am an Ordinator. – I told her, smiling a bit at the concept that an Ashlander shouldn’t worry about the presence of an Ordinator. – I came for the holy book of the Temple that your tribe has stolen. Retrieving that is the key to establishing peaceful relations between the Kaushtababi camp and the Temple. The Ashkhan of the Kaushtababi told me that you could help me with that.</p><p>– A Velothi Ordinator? Are you an outcast?</p><p>– Just settled. – I told her. It was considered to be a stain on the honor of a Velothi to treat an outcast in any other way than with a drawn blade, or at least a spit on the face.</p><p>– It was claimed as loot by Ashu-Ahhe on a raid. He thought since it was guarded so fiercely it must be very valuable. To his anger and the secret amusement of others, our trader said no one would buy it. He said it was Temple property and one of a kind – too rare to be worth money because the Temple would hunt down whoever had it. Before Ashu-Ahhe died, he gave it to me to try to gain my favor. I saw the falseness of his motives but took the book as a subtle insult. I still have it. Since you are a friend of Kaushtababi tribe, I will give it to you, provided that you would do me a favor.</p><p>Great! Another favor to do. How many tasks would I have to complete before they would point me at the Dissident Priests? This situation started to get out of hand in a similar manner to a tale that I read as a child, in which the hero wanted something, and visited a person to get it, and the person asked for a favor which could be only obtained from another person, who also asked for a favor and so on, until the hero had to complete sixteen or seventeen favors just to gain one thing. I sighed.</p><p>– What do you want? – I asked.</p><p>– I’m in love with one of the members of the Kaushtababi tribe, Yanit Sehabani. We wish to marry each other. However, my sister’s husband, Karpal, prevents me from leaving the camp. As the head of the family, he requests a rich bride price, which Yanit wouldn’t be able to pay. He is strong, and I fear him, and I have no father or brother who could protect me. You could pay him, or maybe you could challenge him to a duel for Yanit’s right to marry me, and then I would be able to leave for the Kaushtababi camp.</p><p>– So you need to ask a woman to defend your rights. Good luck with this future husband of yours. – I told her, with sarcasm in my voice.</p><p>– We are peace-loving. – She protested. I wasn’t convinced. There is a huge difference between loving peace, and standing up for yourself against those who do not love peace. – Will you help me or not?</p><p>– Fine, I’ll talk with him. Pack your things in the meantime, I don’t want to waste more time. And don’t forget the Temple book. – I told her, and left the yurt to approach Karpal.</p><p>Karpal was a strong Ashlander, and he had an almost full set of Bonemold armor. He was rather similar to an Orc than a Dunmer, as he had terrible hygiene and seemingly below-average intelligence, which he compensated with his strength. Before I entered the yurt, I put my Indoril helmet on, so that my face would be protected, in case this brute would decide to start a fight with me.</p><p>– Under sun and sky, Karpal. I’m Elisamsi. – I greeted him. – Aivilo sent me. Yanit Sehabani wishes to marry her. What do you say?</p><p>– Aivilo is part of Karpal’s hearth home now that her father is dead and she has no brothers. Karpal expects a rich gift to be given to him by her husband. – It was annoying that none of the Ashlanders I talked that day wanted to return my greeting, yet they expected me to follow their customs to the letter.</p><p>– I offer you 100 gold. – I told him. It wasn’t much, but it worked with the Ashkhan, so I figured that it would work with him too.</p><p>– More. Do you think Karpal is stupid? – He asked me. Yes, I did. – Karpal has seen a city. He knows all settled people are rich.</p><p>It wasn’t true, many people in the cities lived in poverty and begged for alms, but I assumed that for an Ashlander who slept in a yurt, only ate when a hunt was successful and had to deal with diseases and flies, it could be seen that even a pauper in a city lived like a king.</p><p>– How about 250 then? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes, that is a good price. More than Karpal thought Aivilo was worth.</p><p>I handed over the gold, and he had trouble counting it. Five or six minutes had passed before he gave it up, and just told me that he believed me and allowed me to go, telling me that Aivilo may marry that mer. I went back to Aivilo, who already waited for me with her things packed, and the Temple book in her hands. I took that over, and put it into my backpack. We returned to the Kaushtababi camp. Aivilo expressed that she would be happy in this green valley. A mer – whom I assumed to be Yanit – came out from his yurt, and they embraced each other, and kissed. Following that, both of them thanked me that I reunited them, with handshakes and kind words. I went back to Molag Mar, to return the Sermons to Master Rotheloth. As I handed the book over to him, I addressed him:</p><p>– The Ashlanders helped me retrieving this, Master. They can be trusted.</p><p>– Good work, Elisamsi. I now swear on Almsivi that the Temple will let the Ashlanders of Kaushtababi Camp hunt and herd peacefully on those lands as long as they remain peaceful. They must also allow traders to visit them, and they must listen to the teachings of a Temple missionary once a week. If their leader accepts these conditions they may remain on Temple lands. Let them know.</p><p>Master Rotheloth was an excellent diplomat, and knew how to make the best out of this situation. I returned to the valley again to talk with the Ashkhan, and I told him what Master Rotheloth had told me. The Ashkhan replied to me:</p><p>– Thank you, Elisamsi. Their traders will be welcomed here, and as they asked, we will let a servant of their false god come to preach to us once a week. Their words mean nothing so it will not harm us to listen to them. Kaushtababi tribe will grow and prosper thanks to your aid. And thank you for getting Aivilo here too. Now, is there any way we may repay you for your help?</p><p>Finally! The moment that I had waited for. I had done two favors to them by bringing the bride of one of the members here and making sure that the Ordinators wouldn’t wipe their camp out, so I assumed that they trusted me enough to tell me what they know about the Dissident Priests.</p><p>– I’m looking for a group of people. – I tried to formulate it carefully. – They are settled people. Priests. They may have come this way.</p><p>– And what do you want from them?</p><p>– Just asking questions.</p><p>– I don’t know if I can trust you enough. – He admitted. – You may lie.</p><p>– Can’t you hear the truth when it is spoken to you? – I asked, referring to his previous arrogant comment about the Temple lying so much that they cannot even recognize truth when they hear it. – I think that I have done enough for your tribe to be trusted. I could have appeared with a team of Ordinators and interrogated you to reveal the location of these people. If these people are here, tell them that I was tortured in Baar Dau, and I have questions about The Progress of Truth. In return, I can give them information that I have learned. And consider this: I’m alone, you are a small tribe of Ashlanders. What harm could I cause to you, without risking my life?</p><p>– Come to the campfire in the evening. – He told me.</p><p>A couple of hours passed until nightfall, and I helped some of the Ashlanders with the chores around the camp until that. At night, all of them gathered around the campfire. Aivilo and Yanit were sitting next to each other, with Yanit’s hand around the waist of Aivilo. From one of the yurts, two Ashlander warriors appeared whom I had never seen in the camp before. Behind them, a seemingly settled Dunmer was following, a priest or a monk. Was he hiding in that yurt all the time? He sat down at the campfire. The Ashlander warriors sat next to him, without releasing their weapons in their hands. It was clear to me: They would attack me immediately if I tried anything. The mer started to speak:</p><p>– I am Gilvas Barelo, the leader of the Dissident Priests. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Elisamsi. You helped the Nerevarine at Red Mountain. Killed Raxle Berne. Survived the Ministry of Truth. I was curious about you. When Tholer Saryoni told me that you are a different kind of Ordinator, I was skeptical, but you have shown that his words were true when you protected this tribe from the Temple, as the Ashkhan told me. And you promised me information too. Therefore, I agreed to meet with you.</p><p>– Wait… she killed Raxle Berne? – One of the Ashlanders asked. – He tormented the Erabenimsun tribe for centuries…</p><p>Some of the Ashlanders were expressing their gratitude for me, and then Gilvas Barelo spoke again:</p><p>– So you’ve found me. Ask your questions. – He told me.</p><p>– Did you kill Tholer Saryoni? – I already suspected the answer to that one.</p><p>– Serjo Saryoni supported our cause, and he was popular among the faithful. I feel proud that I could consider him my friend, and that I could learn from him, as a young priest. Why would we want to take over the Temple violently when we could gain converts and take it over in a few years peacefully too?</p><p>– Who do you suspect with the murder then?</p><p>– Berel Sala. He was always a fanatic. Like for many others, it was hard for him to digest that Almsivi were not real gods. And now that they lost their stolen powers, and they do not communicate with us to guide us, he felt that they are punishing us for the Dissident Priests and our popularity among some of the clergy. So he devised a plan: He murdered the Archcanon and put the blame on us, in order to arrest and kill us all. However, many of us escaped. Those who were at Holamayan with me and came here from Molag Mar are hidden somewhere else now, only I stayed behind with our Velothi friends. – He replied.</p><p>– I wanted to ask about the Tribunal. You claim in your book that they stole their divine powers, and now you say that they lost it. How is that possible? How can gods steal power? From whom? And how can they lose it? I read your book, and you were right about many things that I witnessed first hand: The fulfillment of the Nerevarine prophecies, the corruption in the Temple, the zeal of the Ordinators, the Ministry of the Truth – they imprisoned me there. However, this claim is indeed hard to digest. I’m open-minded towards whatever you have to say because you were right about everything else. But it would be hard, I worshiped them all my life.</p><p>– It was hard to accept that for all of us, Elisamsi. But that’s the truth. I’ll tell you the story.</p><p>The Ashlanders around the campfire all leaned closer, they were also eager to hear it. He continued:</p><p>– Now, I assume they taught you about Lorkhan when you were a Novice.</p><p>– Of course. Lorkhan, also known as Shezarr or Shor, who convinced the original spirits to create Mundus, our world. – I replied, remembering a lesson I had to learn back then.</p><p>– Yes. As punishment, he was killed and mutilated, and his heart was cast here, to Tamriel. More specifically, to Vvardenfell. The Dwemer had found it, and intended to tap its powers to create a new god. They created three tools for that purpose, Keening, Sunder, and Wraithguard.</p><p>– Wait a minute… – I interrupted. – Do you mean that the Shattering of Lorkhan event was not only a symbolic story?</p><p>– It happened, literally. – He replied. – The War of the First Council broke out because the Chimer feared the Daedra and wanted to stop this sacrilege. After the Battle of Red Mountain, Dagoth Ur, who was one of the advisors of Lord Nerevar, got tempted by the tools. He refused to give them up, so Lord Nerevar and the Tribunal killed him. After that, Lord Nerevar and the Tribunal swore an oath never to use the tools, however after Nerevar’s death, the Tribunal broke that oath, and they made themselves gods. However, somehow Dagoth Ur got revived by the heart, centuries later. He was mad and hungry for power. Kagrenac’s tools, the instruments of salvation, became instruments of doom. Until the Nerevarine arrived, and destroyed the Heart of Lorkhan, at least its physical form, and killed Dagoth Ur. In the process, the Tribunal lost their power too, due to the lack of the heart. Even if Sala argues that worshiping the Tribunal would be a better option than worshiping the Daedra, it is simply not possible anymore. Almsivi are not gods now, but mortals.</p><p>I pondered that for a few seconds in silence. The story seemed to be too far-fetched to believe. I decided to ask a question to test its truth:</p><p>– How do these “Kagrenac’s tools” look like?</p><p>– Wraithguard in an ornamented Dwemer gauntlet, Keening is a Dwemer dagger with a crystal serving as its blade, which is nearly transparent. Sunder is a small Dwemer hammer, similar to a gavel. – He replied. It was true then, I saw the Nerevarine carrying tools that fit that description. I wondered whether the earthquake that occurred during the battle was triggered by the destruction of the physical form of the Heart of Lorkhan.</p><p>He continued:</p><p>– I have dedicated my whole life to researching this. There are several sources, and I collected them all. Sources from authors with different faction affiliation, biases and goals, which supports the truth of these claims, as in spite of the different way they talk about these events, what I told you about, they all agree with. I have Dwemer texts, I have collected the account of ancient Telvanni wizards who were alive back then. I traveled to Skyrim to hear the Nord accounts. I got my hands on the writings of old heretical Temple scholars, such as Mistress Ane Teria. I traveled the Ashlander camps, to hear the wisdom of Wise Women. You are welcome to study these sources. When the Ordinators attacked Holamayan, I gathered all the books that I could, they are in my yurt. Just be careful with them. And I ask something in return.</p><p>– What do you ask from me? – I inquired.</p><p>– If you judge the sources to be true, I want you to spend a couple of days here, in this Ashlander camp, and write. Write about your time in the Ministry of Truth, and write about how you perceived the victory of the Nerevarine at Red Mountain. – He told me. It was clear: He wanted me to join their cause, and publish those writings of mine later. – Now, you also said that you have information for me, right?</p><p>– That’s right. I know about the existence of a secret library under the office of Berel Sala. There might be further sources there. I want to know the truth, so I’m willing to acquire those and share them with you. The only problem is that I don’t know how I could break into that library undetected. – I told the truth concerning my willingness to uncover the truth, but also probably it was already decided for me that I should do that, as it was a task given to me by Molag Bal, who didn’t like disobedience based on the story of Menta Na.</p><p>– We’ll discuss how to acquire those tomorrow. For now, let’s sleep. – He offered.</p><p>With that, we all said good night to each other and went to sleep. The Ashkhan allowed me to sleep in his yurt, where he and the wise woman – who turned out to be his wife as well – slept. I hoped that Master Rotheloth’s word that the Temple would leave these Ashlanders alone was sufficient for preventing an Ordinator attack, in case one of my colleagues also concluded that the Dissident Priests may have fled in this direction.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice’s dream of Uvoo. Doubting her feelings. Agreeing to join the Dissident Priests. Helping the Ashlanders, and encountering a remnant of the Sixth House. A vision from Molag Bal about the way to help the Dissident Priests, and condemning a soul to Coldharbour for a reward. Breaking into the Secret Library of Vivec, and acquiring a book from there, which Alice starts to read.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That night, I had a pleasant dream instead of a nightmare. Such a thing was rare, as mostly I was tormented by the most dreadful nightmares. In my dream, I was in my hut, and I was lying on my bed, naked. Next to me, there was a Dunmer woman sitting, who was naked too. We looked into each other’s eyes, and then she took my hand and ran her lips across it, gently kissing every inch of it. We looked at each other again, and only then did I realize that this other Dunmer woman was Mistress Uvoo Llaren. She pressed her lips against mine, breathing my breath in. She grabbed one of my breasts, and squeezed it. She pressed her tongue against mine, and we kissed. Gently, she put her hands between my legs, and slowly parted them. However, right before she was ready to move her head down there, I woke up. My heart was pounding, and I was confused and disappointed that it was only a dream. It was still the middle of the night, and the Ashlanders in the yurt were still sleeping. Shamefully, I couldn’t control myself, and in the home of strangers, I touched myself. I was lying on the bedroll which was prepared for me to sleep on, and I parted my legs, and moved one of my hands over my vagina, with the other stroking my breasts. I relived the dream in my mind, again and again, adding new details, such as the smell of Uvoo Llaren’s perfume into it. I was gasping for air silently, so that I wouldn’t wake up the Ashlanders. I slept back, satisfied.</p><p>I didn’t know whether that dream was an authentic way for my desires that I repressed for long years to come up from my subconscious or it was just Molag Bal who planted that dream into my mind to make me lust for forbidden things, but it worked for me. In the next few days, I frequently fantasized about things that wouldn’t have been proper according to what the priests of the Tribunal told us. I thought about all kinds of girls and boys, my friends, and strangers. Not only Dunmer, but strangers from other races as well, such as Nords, Altmer, Redguards. I thought about having sex with more of these strangers than one. Not even two, but three, or more. I came up with scenarios that were slow and passionate, as well as wild and quick. I even fantasized about strangers giving me money for sex. At that point, I felt that I was going too far. I knew that I had even wilder desires, but I wasn’t ready to embrace them yet. I felt ashamed of these things, but I didn’t want to stop thinking about them. After all, it seemed that the Tribunal probably lied about everything to us, so why should I behave in a manner that they prescribed, and repress my desires? However, among all these fantasies, the one which made me excited the most was about being with Mistress Uvoo Llaren. Was I in love with her? I wished that it was possible for me to make a move, but she was above me in rank, and I was deprived of my chance to become the leader of the Ordinators to remedy that. In addition, I didn’t even know whether she was single. She may have had a husband – I imagined a high-ranking Indoril noblemer – and children with him.</p><p>I spent the next few days in the Ashlander camp. It wasn’t that bad at all, at least not in that pleasant, green valley. I felt like I was far away from my duties and problems. I helped the Ashlanders with their chores in the camp. I grazed the guar, I weaved a basket, and I hunted with them. Or I just went to the lake to bathe in it, and sunbathe on the shore. It was like a vacation for me. Naturally, however, my priority was studying the books of Gilvas Barelo in his yurt. One of them was a Dwemer book. I couldn’t understand their language, but it had several illustrations, clearly depicting the Heart of Lorkhan, and the Tools of Kagrenac, that I had witnessed in the hands of the Nerevarine. Master Gilvas Barelo made me promise to be especially careful with that old book. There were a couple of books that talked about Lorkhan in the tradition of the different races of Tamriel. There were sources talking about Nerevar, and Battle of Red Mountain, by different authors. Ashlanders, heretical Temple scholars, Nords, Telvanni. I couldn’t refute all those evidence. It seemed that the Dissident Priests were right. In addition to all of these, Master Barelo could also save a couple of other interesting books from Holamayan, such as one which contained Ashlander tales and poetry. I happily read that to learn more about my heritage.</p><p>I agreed to contribute towards the movement for reforming the Temple, and I spent a significant portion of those days with writing about my time in the Ministry of Truth and the way I perceived the Second Battle of Red Mountain and the arrival of the Nerevarine. However, I argued to Master Barelo that I might be more useful as a member of the Ordinators, as I could deliver information to the Dissident Priests about them, therefore these writings of mine should only be published later. Frankly, I also wasn’t ready to be always on the run, to hide, and to be persecuted by the authorities. I hoped that one day, the Dissident Priests could regain their legal status, and then I could openly declare my affiliation with them, without having to fear. One day, Master Barelo called me into his yurt to talk. I entered and he addressed me:</p><p>– Elisamsi, I have almost forgotten about your account of that secret library under Sala’s office. I think that breaking into there, and acquiring the hidden teachings of the Temple that may be there, and revealing them to the public would be crucial to turn the tide to our favor. The question is: How could we break into there? None of us has the right to enter, and we would be spotted and executed on the spot.</p><p>– Anyone in the Dissident Priests with the ability to sneak into there? – I inquired.</p><p>– None that I know of. – Master Barelo admitted.</p><p>– Maybe we could hire the Thieves’ Guild or the Camonna Tong to steal from there? – I offered.</p><p>– They wouldn’t risk the wrath of the Ordinators, if they got caught. I imagine that they would slaughter their entire organization, and every known member in such a case. It is up to the two of us. – Barelo told me. – I thought about it. Unlike me, you can at least enter the Temple canton of Vivec, as an Ordinator. Since you’re neither a thief nor an assassin, you would need magic to successfully conceal yourself, and break into that library. – He explained. Of course, magic. And of course, once again, I didn’t think about that.</p><p>– What magic do you recommend? – I asked.</p><p>– You would need three things: An item with a chameleon enchantment, which makes you blend into the environment, an item which can open locks, and an item to get away. For the latter, a Scroll of Divine Intervention would be sufficient, and it is quite easy to acquire, from any Mages’ Guild. Even though the usage of such a scroll would be considered heretical, it is permitted in case of an emergency. I wish we thought about that when we escaped Holamayan. Using Almsivi Intervention cost the lives of two Dissident Priests in the fight at Molag Mar.</p><p>– But wouldn’t reading the scroll reveal my presence? – I protested.</p><p>– You can whisper, it would still work. Also, as soon as you manage to say the writing on the scroll, it takes you away.</p><p>– What about the item that can open locks? What if the door to the library has a trap on it? Can magic remove a trap?</p><p>– No. Good thinking. I’m afraid that we have to risk that much. Get a couple of healing potions. A potion to cure poison too.</p><p>– All right, so I can heal myself if I trigger a trap or cure myself, if it’s a poison. But what if I scream out of pain as I activate the trap and alert the guards? – I asked.</p><p>– Try not to? – He replied, with a grin on his face.</p><p>– So a Scroll of Divine Intervention, and potions to heal and cure poison. It seems to be easy enough to acquire.</p><p>– Yes, but I have no idea how the item with a chameleon enchantment and the item to open locks could be acquired. Scrolls won’t work. As you pointed it out yourself, reading them would reveal your presence. They might not hear a whisper, but I think that it shouldn’t be risked until you have the books and you are ready to leave. I’ll think about this in the upcoming days. Let me know if you have an idea, too. – He told me.</p><p>One of the Ashlanders entered the yurt, telling me that I should go to the Ashkhan’s yurt immediately. I told Master Barelo to excuse me, and I followed the Ashlander to the big yurt, where the Ashkhan waited for me, with his wife, the wise woman on his side. The Ashkhan addressed me immediately, as I entered:</p><p>– Thank you for coming, Elisamsi. I have a task for a warrior. My son discovered that this valley has a kwama colony. The Settled People have egg mines for food and trading. Why not the Velothi? However, we have seen blight there. My wife, the wise woman could cure it, but I want you to accompany her there, to protect her from any blighted creatures that may have caused the infection.</p><p>– Good idea, Ashkhan. – I told him. – A healthy kwama colony will surely provide your tribe with many eggs to eat and trade.</p><p>We went over to the other side of this small valley, where the cave with the kwama colony was. We entered. The air was filled with the disease, which was signified by the fact that it was colored red. I figured that this might be dangerous for the Kaushtababi tribe, if they lived in this valley. I had my helmet on, and Ibanammu had a piece of some clothing, maybe a shirt before her nose and mouth so that the air that she breathes in would be filtered to some extent. As we descended into the cave, we had spotted a rat. In was not brown, but grayish, suffering from some kind of blight disease. Did this little rat infect the colony? I trampled on its head, crushing it to death with my foot.</p><p>– All right. – Ibanammu told me. – I’ll cure the kwama queen and the other kwama creatures then, and we should be done.</p><p>We descended even deeper, until we stumbled upon the queen’s lair. It may have been disgusting or scary for an outlander or a delicate Dunmer noblemer, but since Maar Gan lived primarily from egg mining too, it was a natural sight to me: She was bloated and fat, she couldn’t even move. She produced all the eggs, and the workers were busy feeding her. Ibanammu went closer to her, and cured her blight with a spell. In a fraction of a second later she was screaming so loudly, as if a cliff racer’s beak was trapped in her hair, and it was struggling to free itself and flapping its wings. Ibanammu started to run towards me, and from the back of the kwama queen, appeared the thing that made her freak out: An ash ghoul, a remnant of the Sixth House. I drew my club to protect Ibanammu, but to my surprise, the ash ghoul wasn’t aggressive, it just spoke to us:</p><p>– All is silence. The road is straight, without turning, in darkness. Now let there be an end to all things. I came here after the defeat of my Lord to bury myself deep under the ground and wait for my death. For without my Lord, I am nothing.</p><p>I didn’t hesitate, and sent it after its Lord to death. It didn’t offer any resistance. Perhaps dying was salvation to it. I wondered how many of these abominations remained, hidden in caves and ancient ruins. Perhaps I could have talked with it and convince it to leave? I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t care. The Sixth House deserved death for all the suffering they had caused to the Dunmer. I dragged the carcass outside, and ran back to the camp for a torch and some alcohol to burn it. In the meantime, Ibanammu cured the rest of the kwama creatures. She cured the queen for a second time, just to be on the safe side. The foul air got cleared up, and the cave became the home of a healthy kwama colony, ready to give eggs to the Ashlanders. We returned to the camp. The Ashkhan thanked me for my services, and during the evening, some of the Ashlanders already discussed plans about eating fresh kwama eggs in the morning. I wondered whether this Ashlander tribe would assimilate into Dunmer society later, and become a normal village. After all, they had already introduced mining as a way to make a living, in addition to herding and hunting. Maybe with time, they would also realize that they could plant the seeds of whatever plants they collect, and have agriculture. Or that a hut protects you better from rain and the wind than a yurt. Master Rotheloth was not stupid by insisting on sending traders into that camp. Make them crave the products of civilization.</p><p>We went to sleep, and I had another vision in my dream. It was Maar Gan. The vision left my home town, and it took me through the Ashlands. It took me to Foyada Bani-Dad and from the Ashlands to the West Gash Region. It was a village, Khuul, which I had visited once. From there, it took me to a Daedric shrine on the coast. The vision showed the inside of the shrine. A statue of Molag Bal. And a chest at the legs of the statue. I woke up. It wasn’t as pleasant as my former dream about Mistress Uvoo Llaren, but it was clear to me: Molag Bal wanted me to visit that shrine. There was something waiting for me in that chest. Perhaps the items necessary for entering the secret library?</p><p>The next day, I told Master Barelo that I would go home. I didn’t say anything about the vision, as I wasn’t sure about his stance on Molag Bal. I went through the passage, back to Molag Mar. It took me a day of traveling, even with utilizing the teleport of the Mages’ Guild to arrive home. In spite of enjoying my time in the Ashlander camp in the end, I still decided that I would spend a day at home to bathe and have a proper meal, as I missed these comforts of civilization back in the valley. As I left the silt strider port of Maar Gan, I saw that a Dunmer was standing in front of my hut, knocking on my door. I addressed him:</p><p>– Are you looking for me? I’m Elisamsi.</p><p>– Yes, I’ve got something that I was supposed to deliver to you. – He told me, and handed over a letter. I took it over and entered my hut to read it. The letter was sent to me by a certain Fedris Hler, a priest of Almalexia in Mournhold. He told me that one of “Her Hands” (elite Ordinators protecting Almalexia) named Salas Valor, died and that I was considered as a candidate to replace him. I was supposed to travel to Mournhold to be tested for the position. Months ago, being considered for such a position would have been an immense honor, however, at that point, I was skeptical about whether Almalexia or any of Almsivi were real gods at all. I decided not to go to Mournhold for now, after all, I still had my task from Berel Sala about hunting down the Dissident Priests, which served me a pretext for not showing up. I spent the next day at home, dolling up after the days in the Ashlander camp. I also briefly visited all of my friends to say hello. The day after that, I left Maar Gan and traveled to Foyada Bani-Dad. I went over the hills to the West Gash Region and Khuul. I inquired about the location of a nearby Daedric shrine, and being in the armor of an Ordinator, the citizens didn’t suspect anything, but pointed it out that it was called Ashalmawia to the southwest. I immediately left Khuul and headed there. I passed next to the remnants of a forest, which must have been destroyed by the blight. The trees were barren, but I could spot a few plants here and there. It filled me with joy that after the defeat of Dagoth Ur, life finally started to reappear in Vvardenfell. A Redguard man approached me in that “forest” and addressed me:</p><p>– Are you an Ordinator? Thank the Nine! – He said, not realizing the irony of those two sentences together. – My wife has been taken by cultists!</p><p>– What? – I asked, in shock.</p><p>– We were traveling to visit friends near Ald Velothi, when they surprised us. They cast me into a sorcerous sleep, and when I woke up, Malexa was gone! They’ve probably taken her to a shrine to perform some unholy ritual on her.</p><p>– I’m heading to Ashalmawia, to clear it from the cultists, in the name of Almsivi. – It wasn’t entirely true, but why would I reveal my true intentions to that stranger? – If I find your wife there, I’ll free her.</p><p>– Thank you! Please hurry!</p><p>I left the man behind and approached Ashalmawia. It looked exactly like the Daedric shrine in my vision, so I knew that I was in the right place. I entered the shrine, and immediately that terrible voice addressed me. “I know that you had so much fun these days. I told you that you are a half-vampire whore.” I ignored it and descended on the stairs to enter into the main area with the statue. The voice addressed me again: “Why don’t you wield the mace? I won’t tolerate it gathering dust in your hut!” In the main area, I spotted three Dunmer, who were dragging a Redguard woman in front of the shrine. The voice commanded me: “Kill.”</p><p>– Hey you! Release her! – I yelled and drew my weapon. I charged at the Dunmer, who released the woman, only to draw their weapons too. As I was fighting with them, the voice told me: “If you used the mace, you could have gained the strength of all these worthless worms.” In the end, I managed to kill them. Three scum like that wasn’t a match for a well-trained Ordinator, especially when taken by surprise. After that, I spotted the chest at the leg of the statue. Before I approached it, I took my club away, and turned to the Redguard woman:</p><p>– Are you all right? Your husband is worried about you! – I exclaimed.</p><p>– Yes, let’s get out of here. – She insisted.</p><p>– Just a moment… – I told her, and approached the chest. It was locked. I took my dagger out, and tried to pry it open with it. The voice laughed hysterically and addressed me once again: “Did you really think that Molag Bal, the Lord of Domination would so easily reward you? Kill her. Crush her.” In that moment, the Mace of Molag Bal appeared in my hand, out of nowhere. “You’ll see how much more powerful it makes you! Then I’ll open that chest for you.”</p><p>– Let’s go, Ordinator! – The Redguard woman urged me, and I nodded. In that moment, once again I was shocked by a spell that came out of nowhere. The voice told me: “When will you learn to follow my commands?” Molag Bal planted voices inside my head, that screamed horrible things, and made my head hurt terribly. My body got weak, I was shaking, and I could barely stand. It was hard to breathe. I couldn’t bear all that pain for long.</p><p>– I’m so sorry… – I told her, and bashed her skull. She dropped dead right in front of Molag Bal’s statue, and the corpse disappeared, as a sacrifice. My torment stopped, and I felt that I was stronger than ever before. I got the strength of this Redguard woman too, which wasn’t a lot, as she seemed to be just a commoner. The chest opened. Inside, I had found several pearls and emeralds, a few hundred gold, and a ring with an open lock enchantment. That took care of one of the items that we had trouble with acquiring. I put all of that into my backpack, and left the shrine. I made sure that I wouldn’t go back the way I came, because I wanted to avoid the husband. Instead, I decided that I would go to Gnisis, and take the silt strider to Ald-ruhn and then home.</p><p>Night had fallen in the meantime, so I decided that I would hurry up. On my way to Gnisis, I spotted a Breton woman, standing next to a pond. As I passed next to her, she addressed me:</p><p>– Excuse me, my dear. Could you help me? – She asked.</p><p>– Why are you here in the middle of the night? It’s dangerous. – I told her. – There are bandits around who would rob you, kill you and rape you. In any order.</p><p>– Well, I was on my way to Gnisis, but I accidentally dropped my ring into that pond. The ring is a family heirloom, but I can’t get into that water. It’s icky muckwater, and I would smell horrible! Could you get that ring for me, dear?</p><p>– What? – I protested. – What makes you think that I would get into icky muckwater for a stranger? Or in fact, at all? No way!</p><p>– Fine! Then I’ll get your gold the hard way. – She told me and drew her dagger. I drew my club. I made sure not to draw the Mace of Molag Bal, which was also on my side. I bashed her skull, and she dropped dead, but before that, an arrow hit me. Where did that come from? Another arrow landed next to me on the ground. I looked around, but no one was there. Then nothing. There was silence. I was about to examine the corpse of the Breton woman, when I remembered the time when I wanted to join House Redoran, and the lesson that Tiras Venim taught me. I firmly held my club in my hand, turned around, and swung my club, hitting what seemed to be the air. “If someone disappears by any means, they will try to get behind you.” – Tiras told me back then. It felt like that I could hit something, as in the next moment, a Dunmer woman got visible in front of me, as she fell to the ground, with a dagger in her hand which she probably wanted to backstab me with. I was grateful to Tiras for that lesson. The Dunmer woman had an amulet with a very strong chameleon enchantment around her neck, which I took. With that, I could acquire both items that were needed for me to break into the library. I left the corpses behind, as the wild animals would come for them anyway, and continued to Gnisis. I spent the night in the tradehouse. In the morning, I took the first silt strider to Ald-ruhn. In the Mages’ Guild of Ald-ruhn, I bought a Divine Intervention scroll, and a couple of healing and cure poison potions. I went back to Maar Gan, to leave the Mace of Molag Bal behind, in the container where it belonged to, and then returned to Ald-ruhn again. I took the Mages’ Guild’s service to Vivec.</p><p>With all that excitement the previous night, only on my way to the Temple canton did it occur to me to think about what had happened at Ashalmawia. The prophecy that was given to me talked about “death and killing” as my future, and Molag Bal also expressed that I should “bring strife and discord” with his mace. Was it indeed the case that I was destined to be the replacement of Menta Na, and kill and torture mortals in the name of Molag Bal? I was already forced to sacrifice an innocent by the pain that was caused to me. I hoped that at least she wouldn’t be tortured eternally in Coldharbour, like Menta Na. If only the Redguard woman used those few moments of confusion to run away… but did I really want that? As I searched my feelings, it occurred to me that perhaps deep inside my heart, I was eager to kill that Redguard woman. It seemed that there were many feelings and desires repressed inside me. Perhaps it was my half-vampire status, or my birthsign which was responsible for my darker thoughts. Or perhaps it was simply because I was a Dunmer. The Westerners had a stupid name for us: Dark Elves. Maybe that name didn’t only refer to the color of our skin but to our personality too? Perhaps worshiping Almsivi was beneficial because it gave us a way to live an honorable life, repressing our darker nature. However, according to Master Barelo, it was already too late for that. Perhaps our destiny, as a nation was always to tremble before Molag Bal and the rest of the Daedra, and do their bidding. Perhaps the Nerevarine was just a tool in their hands to reclaim their status from Almsivi and make us return to the old ways, with all the advantages and disadvantages of the lifestyle of our ancestors, the Chimer.</p><p>I entered the Temple canton, and I noticed something. I wasn’t sure whether it was real, or just my imagination, but as if the Ministry of Truth’s position was slightly lower in the sky. I dismissed that thought as irrelevant in that moment, thinking that I remembered its position wrong. I entered the Hall of Justice, and found a quiet corner, when the patrols weren’t around. I rubbed the amulet, and it made me blend into the environment. Just to make sure that it was indeed sufficient, I approached an Ordinator, and waved my hand in front of him. He didn’t react anything to that, therefore I concluded that the enchantment worked. I slipped into the office of Serjo Sala. I had the Divine Intervention Scroll in one of my hands all the time, just in case I needed to get away quickly. Sala, and his colleague, a female Dunmer were doing some paperwork, as usual. In order not to make any noise, I crouched and proceeded with my head low. I never sneaked in my life, but the enchantment was strong enough to conceal me. I even held my breath, instinctively for a few seconds, before I realized that it was a stupid thing to do, which wouldn’t have made any difference anyway. I approached the corner of the office, where the vision showed me that there would be a trapdoor.</p><p>When I was certain that the two Ordinators wouldn’t look up from their paperwork, I raised the edge of the carpet, to see that there was indeed a trapdoor underneath. I rubbed the ring, which opened the lock. There wasn’t a trap luckily, so I could enter. I closed the trapdoor. Since I couldn’t put the carpet straight from there, I knew that I had to hurry, as they might notice the presence of an intruder at any moment, by the fact that the trapdoor was uncovered. I rubbed the amulet once again to renew the chameleon enchantment, just to be on the safe side.</p><p>Inside the library, there was an Ordinator, and a priestess, probably the librarian. There were several bookshelves, with numerous books, but I was interested in the one showed in the vision. I spotted the table. It was the table where the librarian sat. Under the table, there was indeed a chest, just like how Molag Bal showed me. I approached it, and quickly rubbed my ring to open the lock. I knew that I had to hurry, so I opened the chest up. In that moment, the trap activated, and it felt like that millions of needles were poking my lungs and my stomach. Poison. I controlled myself, and bit my lips so that I wouldn’t scream out of pain. I knew that with that poison, I would have about ten or maybe twenty seconds left to live, without an antidote. I quickly took the book out from the chest, and read the scroll, whispering:</p><p>– For the gods! – As I said that, I heard that the librarian lady uttered something like “huh,” before I got teleported away, into an Imperial castle. I immediately took a potion to cure poison out from my backpack, and drank it. Then I drank the healing potions too. I survived, and I had the book. According to my map, the closest Imperial settlement must have been Ebonheart. The enchantment of the amulet wore off, but the Imperial legionnaires in the castle didn’t care about me. Probably it was my Indoril armor that made it possible that I wouldn’t have to explain myself. Or perhaps that was the quality of n’wah security in general. I left the castle and went to the docks. Ebonheart was just an Imperial settlement, nothing that I was particularly interested in, although I had to admit that I took a few minutes to behold the dragon statue, as most citizens of Tamriel, I had also never seen a dragon in my life. I took the first ship to Molag Mar, and on my way there, staying in my cabin, I eagerly read the book that I acquired from the secret library of Vivec.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Galur Rithari hijacks the narration, and tells his life’s story and how he became a vampire. Joining the Quarra Clan, and his relationship with Volrina Quarra. Getting cured of vampirism, and how Molag Bal tricked him into condemning his sister for the cure.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Inconceivable are the ways of the gods, how one twist of fate can erase the past of a mortal, and rebuild his identity perfectly. I was once a Velothi, a great hunter praised by the Urshilaku Tribe. Too bad I was unable to take control of my lust over the wife of a gulakhan. The Ashkhan passed judgment: Exile. I was to live the life of an outcast, forgotten by everyone who knew me and despised by everyone whom I met. My sister in her compassion, may that day be forever cursed, decided to embrace the life of an outcast with me. We traveled, or rather fled from town to town of the Settled folks, and we stole and robbed from people to put a slice of bread and a small kwama egg upon our table.</p><p>Looking back today, I find no pride in my actions. It was the time when the serpents of the East invaded our homeland. We made the life of the Dunmer, suffering from war, even more miserable. They said that a great general was traveling the land to gather an army and repel the invasion. I knew that it was good fortune that came to my aid, for I attempted to steal from him. I bless that day as the happiest in my life, as the general, I learned, was Lord Vivec. (May his name be forever praised!) He captured me, but spared my life and offered me to join his army. “But I’m a proud Velothi! How could I serve you? My people say that you are a false god!” – I told him, with the pride of my old life, foolishly, without thinking that I may evoke his wrath with my words. He smiled and told me to stay with him. In a few days, he conjured a magnificent flood, which washed away most of the invaders. Witnessing that miracle, I did not hesitate anymore and became a faithful of Almsivi. I became a Buoyant Armiger, and threw my old Velothi name away. Lord Vivec named me Galur Rithari, and named my sister Galera Rithari. For years, I felt that I possessed a life of the highest esteem. A despised outcast I was, now the champion and companion of him, respected by the settled folk. I foresaw a glorious end for myself. An honorable death, fit for a song, earned on the field of battle. How wrong I was.</p><p>One day, Lord Vivec and Archanon Andrano summoned me to the palace. They told me that two outlanders were staying at Bal Ur, the cursed birthplace of Molag Bal. I made haste to put the head of the n’wah onto my sword, who dared to worship anyone else in our land than Almsivi. They were two Imperials, a middle-aged man, and a younger woman. It filled my soul with dread when I saw that terrible hunger in their eyes: For they were not men anymore, but the whores of Molag Bal, vampires!</p><p>Outnumbered and isolated, I yielded to my foe. The older creature dressed like a gentleman, and I hoped for honorable treatment. Instead, I found myself a feast for the blood-drinking monsters. Days passed in the depths of Bal Ur and in my dying delirium I began to dream. At first, it was divine. I felt the warm coastal breeze of Vivec City unblemished by the shadow of Baar Dau. Love and kindness surrounded me as I saw the radiant visage of Lord Vivec approaching. I felt forgiveness, and peace but as Vivec grew closer he twisted into something truly putrid, something vile beyond words. I soon recognized the sight of Molag Bal’s pitiless grin before the Daedric Prince’s fangs plunged into my heart.</p><p>I spent the next three days in a coma-like state and awakened as a hideous ugly monster. The creatures gave me back my armor and weapon and invited me to join their clan. The older creature opened his mouth to speak, and I still remember his words to this day: “I am Helicus Quarra, and this is my daughter, Volrina. The only family I have. Raxle Berne, may he be damned, took my only son and heir from me! Sucked his life out from his veins and as he dropped dead, he mocked me that his lifeless corpse would feed the rats!” He was crying from agony, as he told me. “I have sworn revenge. We came here with Volrina to beg to Molag Bal to help us. He made us these… creatures. We only began to comprehend our new powers. Join us, and be the third member of my family, Dunmer.”</p><p>Shamed by my corruption, and despairing of my own welfare, I passively acquiesced in my gradual integration into the affairs of Clan Quarra. I made no mer or human my prey, only beasts, and kept myself apart from the other clankin; nonetheless, I abandoned hope and lived like a beast. Alas, the rage of the demon is so much more powerful than the will of a mere mer. I had no choice but to embrace their ways. I had spent decades among them. Helicus taught me the ways of magic, while Volrina was like myself: A warrior, but ruthless and vicious. Our clan grew in numbers, and we soon welcomed a Nord adventurer named Siri among us.</p><p>I found myself joining my clankin for dark nights of slaughter in the nearby settlements. I gorged myself on human and mer blood and felt an ecstasy whose attraction was so great as to be irresistible – until I took the life of a young Dunmer maiden. When I drew back from her ravaged neck to gloat over the perfection of her pale gray face as death robbed her of her future, I was struck dumb by her resemblance to my sister, Galera. The horror of what I had done seized me and I vowed to leave my clankin.</p><p>I aimed to find some respite from this thirst. I had to feast on the lifeblood of mortals to sate this gnawing agony, but to condemn one more innocent to death? I would sooner leap into the flames of Red Mountain. Ashalmawia. My clankin murmured disapproval of the Worm Cult’s claim over the ruin. They spoke of rituals and offerings made to the shrine for the favor of the Lord of Troubles. I shared my kin’s disgust at these acts, but for very different reasons. I volunteered to keep watch over Ashalmawia and slipped away from Clan Quarra with barely an acknowledgment. It was easy to think of these cultists as vermin, but I was no less a monster for having slain them. Their blood was a balm, dispelling my agony, leaving in its place vigor and bliss.</p><p>Drawn by intimations of my former life, I visited my former post at Bal Ur, hoping perhaps to atone in some for my crimes by preying upon its monsters or perishing under their attacks. It is there that, by chance, I made a petition to the Lord of Troubles, Molag Bal, at an altar deep in the caverns beneath the pilgrim’s shrine. I was surprised, and thrilled, and terrified, when Molag Bal, or some aspect or agent of that Daedra Lord, offered me a chance to cure myself of vampirism, in return for a favor. However, with no hope for my soul or spirit, unless I might be cured, I undertook his quest.</p><p>I sought and obtained a cursed soul gem of mysterious nature from a deep cavern named Kora-Dur, on the northern slopes of Dagoth Ur and delivered it to Molag Bal’s shrine in Bal Ur, but I had no conception of the curse secreted within it or of the malevolence of Molag Bal. The price which I paid for my redemption damned the soul dearest to my heart to a fate so horrifying that it drives me mad to recall it. My sister, dearest Galera!</p><p>I placed the gem within the basin before the altar and instantly experienced a blinding assault of pain and terror that I cannot express in words, except that it seemed afterward that I had been asleep and dreaming only to be awakened by thousands of tiny knives slicing my bowels from inside out. I awoke before the altar and gazed at my face reflected in my own sword blade. I was no longer a blood-seeking beast of teeth and empty eyes. However, this euphoria at my return to mortal form was short-lived.</p><p>Molag Bal had exploited my despair and my hope. It was I (and my sister) who had to endure the curse released by that fiendish gem. My mind had been freed of the demon only to become a thrall of overwhelming guilt. The broken gem had released the souls of three vampire elders. They soon regained their physical forms by assuaging their acute hunger on Galera, whom Molag Bal had duped into coming to Bal Ur firm in the belief that her presence would help me regain my form. That it did but in a way hidden to all but the malice of Molag Bal. My ears were assailed by my beloved sister’s excruciating shrieks as those foul vampires tore her to pieces in their feeding frenzy and cursed her with living death, grotesquely mutilating and transforming what remained of her fair flesh into that of a hideous ghoul.</p><p>The Daedra Lord banished us all in an instant to a crypt in Old Mournhold. I used all of my arcane knowledge that I learned from Helicus to shield what remained of my sister from further torment and to bind those fiends to the crypt. My efforts succeeded only in creating a barrier between her soul and those three ravenous fiends. The barrier surrounds her soul, which in turn encompasses and protects her heart, her disembodied heart. It is the key to her release, a release that only a hero with a pure heart can provide.</p><p>I hid and called upon Almsivi. The three heard my desperate entreaty. Barely escaping with my life, I was transported to the temple in Mournhold, whence I made my way to Vivec where I have deposited this manuscript with the Temple. It will be safe there until the appearance of one worthy to undertake the fearful task of freeing my tormented sister. As for my release, it will only come with death and oblivion. I pray that there is no life after death for me, that my soul will perish with my body. I pray that my sister will not suffer for all eternity for my foolish trust in Molag Bal.</p><p>Addendum:</p><p>The Temple imprisoned Galur Rithari for heresy. He committed suicide in the Ministry of Truth. This document is highly confidential, and under no circumstances should it leave the Secret Library of Vivec.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice takes back the narration. How the Daedra overran the village of Vos due to the meddling of the Dissident Priests, and how Alice saves some of the villagers. Returning to the Ashlander camp, and helping the Ashlanders again. The Nerevarine comes back to put an end to the conflict between the Ordinators and the Dissident Priests by showing proof that Almsivi is dead. The death of Berel Sala, and a proclamation of a new age by Gilvas Barelo.</p>
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    <p>I closed the book after I finished reading it. Incredible. So that Second Era Buoyant Armiger, whose surname I got as an Ordinator code name, was a vampire. Perhaps it was an inevitable twist of fate, considering my own heritage as a half-vampire that I should receive that name, from the names of all the Temple heroes of the past. Even more incredible was the claim that he could cure himself of vampirism. The Temple’s doctrine on the issue was that there was no cure for vampirism, besides death. I could definitely understand how this document could serve as yet another proof that the Temple lied to us, but if anything, the account should rather strengthen one’s faith in Almsivi. The way Galur Rithari described Vivec’s heroism and power, reflected what Dunmer read in the various, widely available, official sermons and homilies. Also, the way Molag Bal tricked Rithari supported Serjo Sala’s strongest argument for preserving the Temple in its current form: Daedra cannot be trusted. There was no way this document could help the cause of the Dissident Priests, if anything, it would harm it. Why did Molag Bal want me to retrieve it then? Perhaps it was a warning for me that I should follow his will, or face similar consequences as Rithari did? I was certain that the account was true, for Volrina Quarra was mentioned in it, a person whom both Raxle Berne and Ano Vando referred to, as the current leader of the Quarra vampire clan. (Which may have meant that between Galur Rithari’s time and our battle at Galom Daeus, Volrina’s father died.) Raxle Berne killed her brother, and she started a new vampire clan with her father to have revenge one day. I understood why Raxle Berne told me before our fight that Volrina finally “had the guts” to send someone against him. This war between the two clans must have been going on for centuries, without major confrontations, and wherever this Volrina was, she owed me one for putting an end to it. Raxle Berne perceived me as one of the Quarra upon spotting me, which might have meant that my father was a vampire from that clan. For a moment, a ludicrous thought occurred to me: Maybe I could find this Volrina and she could help me find my father? But obviously, it was an unrealistic idea: Even though I killed her rival, she might still perceive me as a threat, and without an army of Ordinators, I wouldn’t stand a chance against her. I was certain about one thing, namely that I had so much in common with Galur Rithari that it was scary. We both had Urshilaku ancestors, we were both connected to this Quarra Clan, and we both served the Tribunal Temple. Maybe that was what Molag Bal wanted to tell me: I cannot escape my destiny.</p><p>The ship arrived at Molag Mar. I hid the book in my backpack, gathered my things, and left my cabin. I wanted to leave the city and head to the Ashlander camp over the mountains, but an Ordinator stopped me and told me that Master Rotheloth wanted to see me. No doubt, it was about yet another necromancer or a similar abomination that needed to die. I sighed and went to the Temple. In the Temple, Master Rotheloth was walking about in a nervous manner when I entered. He immediately addressed me:</p><p>– Thank Almsivi you are here! I urgently need your help. – He told me. – You must go to Vos at once. It has been overrun by Daedra!</p><p>– By Daedra? – I asked, in disbelief. – What are you talking about?</p><p>– Serjo Sala sent several groups of Ordinators there to arrest Yakin Bael, a member of the Dissident Priests… in fact, the only one who still openly admits being a member. However, Master Aryon always protected him. Serjo Sala ran out of patience and sent dozens of Ordinators, defying Aryon’s will, and if necessary engage in combat with the Telvanni too…</p><p>It was unbelievable. It seemed to me that Sala lost his mind. After assassinating the Archcanon, and starting a massacre among the Dissident Priests, he would also invoke the wrath of a Telvanni Master because he cannot tolerate that he protects one member of the Dissident Priests? It was more than clear at this point that this mer was a dangerous zealot who got more power than he was supposed to get. Master Rotheloth continued:</p><p>– As the Ordinators were ready to storm the chapel of Vos, an army of Daedra appeared out of nowhere, mostly Hungers. They massacred most of the Ordinators. Some of them could get away with Almsivi Intervention. I wonder whether it was that heathen Aryon’s idea to summon them on us, or if we are facing a Daedric invasion. Go to Vos, and report back to me on the situation. Be careful, no need to play the hero now. Teleport away, if you’re in danger. – He told me, and handed over an Almsivi Intervention scroll to me.</p><p>I immediately left the Temple, and took the first ship to Sadrith Mora. At the docks of Sadrith Mora, somebody pointed me out the ship which went to Vos. I approached the ship, and I saw that there were only two Dunmer on board: Probably the captain and the first mate. There were no passengers. Before I could get on deck, one of the Dunmer stopped me:</p><p>– This ship goes to Vos. Probably the last ship to do so.</p><p>– Last ship? How comes? – I inquired.</p><p>– Didn’t you hear, girl? The Daedra rule the settlement now. Most of the villagers are dead. We are sent by the Telvanni Council to pick up a group of survivors who barricaded themselves in the Varo tradehouse and bring them to Sadrith Mora. I admit I’ll miss going there. It was such a quaint village. – He explained.</p><p>Based on the account of this Dunmer, it must have indeed been a serious crisis, if even the Telvanni council cared enough to send at least some nominal aid in the form of this ship. And it meant that it was not Master Aryon who summoned the Daedra. Was the “End of Times” cult right then? Did a gate to Oblivion open and it was an invasion? I replied to the Dunmer’s account:</p><p>– I’m an Ordinator, sent by the Temple to investigate Vos. If you’re going there anyway, would you take one passenger there, for the last time? – I asked. – Pick up the survivors and set sail. I have other means to escape.</p><p>In that moment, the other Dunmer on deck approached us:</p><p>– Damn, if we’re going there, we might need the help of an Ordinator. Welcome aboard! – He told me.</p><p>We sailed to Vos, and arrived at its docks. It could be seen from the distance, that the streets were full of the corpses of my comrades and the corpses of the villagers, and the Hungers took the settlement over. I told the captain and the first mate to wait for me in the ship and approached the Varo Tradehouse, where the survivors were supposed to be waiting. Naturally, the door was locked, in order to keep the Daedra away. I scrubbed my ring, which had an enchantment that could open locks, and it made it possible for me to unlock the door. “I’m not a Daedra!” – I yelled, before I entered, because I anticipated that otherwise, the survivors inside would greet me with a shower of arrows. “Enter!” – I heard a male voice. I entered. Inside, there were four people. One Imperial, and three Dunmer. I took a moment or two to assess the situation. Clearly, the Imperial was “Varo,” the owner of the establishment, and the three Dunmer were refugees from the village. They managed to survive in the tradehouse, until help arrived, with all the food and drinks that any tradehouse had in stock.</p><p>– Your ship is waiting for you at the docks. The way there is clear right now, you could make a run for it. But tell me please, what happened here? – I inquired, addressing the Imperial.</p><p>– Is this what the Dissident Priests want? That fool priest up there got the idea to go back to Daedra worship. I barely escaped with my life. This is what we get for doubting the Tribunal. – One Dunmer refugee interrupted, in spite of not being the one whom I addressed.</p><p>– We don’t know. – The Imperial told me. – I guess the Priest decided to go back to worshiping the Daedra instead of the Tribunal. But something went wrong…a lot of people died.</p><p>– All right. – I told them. – I’ll escort you to the ship and you can get away from this nightmare.</p><p>The refugees quickly gathered their things, and we left the tradehouse and ran to the docks. I covered them from behind, with my club drawn. They all got onto the deck without problems.</p><p>– Come on Ordinator, let’s get out of here! – The captain told me.</p><p>– I still have to find out what happened here. – I told him. – As I told you, I have other means of escape. Get these people to safety.</p><p>– Excuse me, Muthsera… – a female Dunmer refugee addressed me before she entered the ship – but if you’re going back, please save Runethyne!</p><p>– Who? – I asked.</p><p>– Runethyne Andas. My friend. I believe that she is still alive at the other end of the village. We saw the lights of a lantern from her window. Her house is the very last one, next to the road which leads to Tel Vos. Maybe she could run there if you have her covered. But you should get to Tel Vos first. Master Aryon wants to kill all the Daedra in Vos with one powerful spell. He only waited for us to leave. You must warn the Telvanni that there might be still one survivor in the village.</p><p>– I’ll try. – I told her, and she nodded and got onto the ship too. I activated the enchantment of my amulet, which allowed me to blend into my environment. The streets of Vos were teeming with Daedra. There were more than a dozen Hungers around, and there were probably even more inside the Temple and the various houses of the farmers. I could pass through the village without calling the Daedra’s attention upon myself, thanks to the enchantment.</p><p>At the gates of Tel Vos, there were a couple of Telvanni guards, observing the village in the distance. Two of them approached me:</p><p>– Are you the one who helped the survivors escape? Thank you. Now Master Aryon can destroy the Daedra.</p><p>– What happened here? – I asked.</p><p>– It seems like Boethiah didn’t like something about the villagers. I think they’ll show more respect next time. – Replied one of the Telvanni, with the usual casual manner, disregarding the fact that many villagers had lost their lives.</p><p>– Boethiah? – I asked. Of course, I should have figured that out. Hungers are the servants of Boethiah.</p><p>– Yes, Boethiah. That foolish priest tried to summon him. It went wrong, clearly.</p><p>– There could be one more villager alive. The refugees saw the light of a lantern from one of the houses.</p><p>– Who cares? – The Telvanni replied.</p><p>– I think that it would be important for Master Aryon, that’s why he waited for the other refugees to escape. Do you want his anger? – I argued.</p><p>– Hmm… fine. But I’m not wasting any resources on that. You may try rescuing that villager. – The Telvanni decided. – Hurry.</p><p>I sneaked back into Vos, utilizing the enchantment of my amulet. It was clearly a powerful enchantment, as I could sneak past the Hungers without any trouble. I had to pay a huge price for it, I condemned the soul of an innocent to Molag Bal, so it was clear that at least I should use its powers for good. The door of the first house next to the road was locked. Right in front of the house, there was a Hunger patrolling, which I avoided.</p><p>I used the enchantment of my ring to open the door, and entered, right in time for my chameleon enchantment to wear off. The Dunmer woman inside was frightened and was holding a kitchen knife to defend herself. She got relieved when she spotted that it was only a mortal.</p><p>– Runethyne Andas? – I asked.</p><p>– I’m so glad that you’re here. – She admitted. – I have been locked in my home for days, without any food. Did my father send you?</p><p>– Your father? – I asked.</p><p>– You’re an Ordinator. You should know my father. Elam Andas. He is an Ordinator too.</p><p>I remembered that name. He was the captain of the Order of the Watch. I served under him when I was a mere guard in the Watch. And more importantly, he was the one who introduced me into the Ordinators, and before whom I had sworn my oath.</p><p>– Gather your things. I can probably hold off the Daedra long enough for you to run to Tel Vos. – I told her. She picked up a backpack and put a few articles of clothing, some plain jewelry, and a couple of books into it. All the valuables she had. Soon, her home would be destroyed, and she would have to start a new life from scratch. She was still luckier than those who lost their lives to the Daedra.</p><p>– Here, take this book for helping me. – She offered. – I can’t put it into my backpack. And I think that you would need it more than me. It’s the diary of Yakin Bael. I was in the Temple when he attempted to summon Boethiah, and I picked it up quickly before I ran away. Poor Yakin! The Daedra killed him first.</p><p>We left the house, and I drew my club to kill the Hunger that was patrolling in the vicinity. The Dunmer woman made a run for it through the gates. We called the attention of another Hunger on us with all this commotion, so I had to kill that one too before it was safe for me to follow her to Tel Vos. We ran as quickly as we could, and it was a huge relief when Vos was far behind us.</p><p>The Telvanni thanked me – with a grudge – for rescuing one more villager, and they gave a meal to her, as Master Aryon requested that they would do so. A few minutes later, Master Aryon himself appeared and he started to conjure a fire-based spell, which was bigger than anything that I had ever seen in my life. It lit the night sky, and it felt like that it was daytime again for a moment, before it landed in Vos, and burned it to the ground, with all the Daedra inside. Those Telvanni wizards indeed possessed vast knowledge and power. I said goodbye to Runethyne, and I hoped that she would be able to start a new life, despite that almost everything she had and knew was just destroyed. I used the Almsivi Intervention scroll, and it took me to Ald-ruhn. I traveled back to Molag Mar, and on the ship there, I read Yakin Bael’s diary. It turned out that Yakin Bael, with the proximity of the Zainab Camp, had the opportunity to learn about Ashlander beliefs, which made him become a Dissident Priest. He learned a possible way to summon Boethiah, and toyed with the thought to attempt the ritual for months, in order to convince the villagers of Vos to abandon Almsivi, whose powers were unreliable, and demonstrate the power of the Daedra. I could figure out the rest of the story: When the Ordinators attacked, he actually tried the ritual, but it failed because the Hungers massacred everyone, including him and the villagers. Yet another proof that the Daedra are untrustworthy. But if Almsivi lost their powers and we cannot even trust the so-called “good” Daedra then what remained to believe in? Our ancestors? Perhaps, if I had any, besides a dead mother who left her tribe, and thus severed all her ties with the rest of our family, and a father who was or is a vampire. The Nine Divines, maybe? That was something I didn’t even want to think about, as a proud Dunmer.</p><p>I arrived at Molag Mar, where I witnessed another proof of the zeal of the Ordinators. They burned two young Dunmer at the stake, who (according to the account of one passer-by) had some ties with the Dissident Priests. Perhaps it wasn’t true, it was just another example of the excessive zeal of Berel Sala.</p><p>I left Molag Mar and went over the pass to arrive at the valley where the new Ashlander tribe was situated. As I was occupied with my thoughts, something occurred to me. A lesson on theology from my days as a Novice in the Temple. A really unimportant lesson, without any practical implications for a faithful of Almsivi, yet now the realization sent shivers up and down my spine: Boethiah was the enemy of Molag Bal. Did I serve him against my will again?</p><p>I entered the Ashlander camp, where one of the Ashlanders told me to see the Ashkhan immediately. I entered his yurt, and he addressed me:</p><p>– Elisamsi! I have a favor to ask from you. We have a guest in this camp today. A very important guest and I should focus my attention on that. Therefore, I cannot do it myself.</p><p>– How can I help you, Ashkhan? – I inquired. I was curious about this “important guest,” he was talking about. It must have been the Ashkhan of one of the other tribes. I didn’t want to pry.</p><p>– Zaintirasis, a Daedric shrine dedicated to Sheogorath is located in this valley. It wouldn’t be a problem, as the Mad God’s influence cannot harm us without his worshipers being present. However, yesterday an outlander, a Nord, appeared and he lives inside the shrine now. He seems to be harmless, but you know how it is with worshipers of Sheogorath. The next day they could snap and attack us. Could you convince the Nord to leave, and if he wouldn’t agree, could you kill him? We wouldn’t want outlanders to live in our valley anyway.</p><p>I agreed to do this task and went over to Zaintiraris. The shrine seemed to be inactive, there weren’t any Daedra around, only the Nord, who was sitting next to a campfire outside. As I approached, the Nord immediately addressed me, with childish joy in his voice:</p><p>– Somebody came to celebrate my unbirthday with me! Happy unbirthday to me!</p><p>– Today is your birthday? – I asked, misunderstanding the word.</p><p>– No, you silly! Today is my unbirthday!</p><p>– Unbirthday? What’s that?</p><p>– You have one birthday in a year, right? The day you were born.</p><p>– Right… – I replied.</p><p>– Every other day is your unbirthday! Today is my unbirthday! Happy unbirthday to me! Let’s celebrate. Cheese for everyone!</p><p>– Perhaps you could celebrate it somewhere else? Back in Skyrim, maybe? – I offered.</p><p>– Don’t be so grumpy, my dear. Now, when is your birthday?</p><p>– It’s the 16th of Last Seed. – I told him.</p><p>– Then it’s your unbirthday too! Happy unbirthday!</p><p>– Okay. Where’s my present then? – I asked.</p><p>– Here! An axe in your face! – He exclaimed and drew his axe to attack me. I drew my club and bashed his skull. He was wearing a stupid helm, it was pointy and padded with fur. It didn’t offer a lot of actual protection. With that threat to the new Ashlander camp eliminated, I left the shrine to report my success to the Ashkhan, and spend the rest of the day with the Ashlanders, perhaps with a couple of fried kwama eggs to celebrate my “unbirthday.” Somewhere deep in my heart, I felt bad for that lunatic. Sheogorath was a cruel Daedra. All of them were, as the events of the last few days demonstrated. The concept of the “unbirthday” was somehow intriguing to me. The Nord used it in the sense that it was any other day which wasn’t your birthday. However, the opposite of birth is death. So an “unbirthday” could be the day you die, in which case it was indeed the “unbirthday” of this Nord. It was said that there was sometimes profound wisdom in the ramblings of those who were blessed by Sheogorath.</p><p>As I approached the Ashlander camp, I saw that the Ashlanders gathered around the campfire and that Master Barelo was among them. What surprised me was that among the faces there was another old acquaintance: The Nerevarine! So they were this “important guest” the Ashkhan talked about. The Nerevarine looked different. They had a red armor on, and an enormous sword, which seemingly burned all the time.</p><p>– Elisamsi! – Master Barelo addressed me, as he spotted me. – Did you manage to acquire anything useful from the Secret Library?</p><p>– Nothing useful, I’m afraid. – I admitted it, and I didn’t feel it necessary to tell the details about Galur Rithari’s account.</p><p>– It doesn’t matter. Tomorrow, we’ll end this war. The Nerevarine called the Dissident Priests and the Ordinators to a meeting at the Palace of Vivec. Almsivi will be there too. Is that right, Nerevarine?</p><p>– Yes. – The Nerevarine replied. – It got out of hand. I didn’t defeat the Sixth House for the Dunmer people to suffer in a civil war and kill each other. One way or the other, but it will end tomorrow.</p><p>– Elisamsi, would you come with us? – Master Barelo asked.</p><p>– Yes, of course. – I wasn’t sure whether I really wanted to, especially not after seeing all the bad things caused by Daedra, whose worship the Dissident Priests advocated, but what else could I say? I was alone in an Ashlander camp, and a legendary hero was sitting next to me, who could kill Dagoth Ur.</p><p>We went to sleep, and the next morning, I left the Ashlander camp with the Nerevarine, Master Barelo and a couple of Ashlander bodyguards, which the Nerevarine clearly didn’t need. However, the bodyguards felt compelled to follow them regardless.</p><p>It may have been possible that in Molag Mar and Vivec, some Ordinators recognized the leader of the Dissident Priests, but the presence of the Nerevarine and the Ashlander warriors (not to mention their Ordinator companion) deterred any attempt on his life. We went through Vivec, and arrived at the steps leading up to the Palace of Vivec. The door was open, and we could enter. Lord Vivec was nowhere to be found, and frankly, the Palace itself looked quite mundane, it was just an empty dome, built in the style of any regular Dunmer Temple. I imagined something which reflected Lord Vivec’s glory and divine powers more. There was a group of people inside. Master Barelo explained that most of them were members of the Dissident Priests, who were in hiding from the Ordinators so far. There were a couple of outlanders too – clearly those whom we heard rumors about that they had forsaken the Nine to join the religious revival started by the Dissident Priests. There were Ordinators too, chatting with the Dissidents in a friendly manner. Clearly, many in our order switched sides too, which was surprising. There was even a Telvanni, who cared enough to show up, with his Argonian slave.</p><p>– Elisamsi, this is Mehra Milo. – The Nerevarine pointed at a Dunmer lady. We greeted each other.</p><p>– I’ve met her during my training. She was the librarian of Vivec. I had no idea that she was one of you!</p><p>– She is an old friend of mine. – The Nerevarine told us, and I wasn’t sure who was addressed there. Perhaps both of us.</p><p>A few minutes later, dozens of Ordinators arrived, led by Berel Sala. They were accompanied only by a couple of lay people: A group of Redoran retainers. I recognized their lord, it was another old acquaintance, Tiras Venim. It seemed that fate brought us all there that day.</p><p>– You! – Berel Sala addressed me. – You were a Dissident scum after all. You fooled all of us, s’wit! We had you in the Ministry of Truth. How could you withstand the torture without confessing? – He drew his blade and pointed it at me. He didn’t realize that I was not part of the Dissident Priests back then.</p><p>– So there IS torture at the Ministry of Truth. – One Dissident Priest remarked, with a sarcastic tone.</p><p>The Nerevarine drew their flaming sword and pointed it at Berel Sala.</p><p>– Enough! – They exclaimed. – I called you here to negotiate. If you start a fight, I swear I’ll put all of your Ordinators to my sword.</p><p>– They call that a sword? – One Dissident Priests asked, trying to lessen the tension of the situation by pointing out the unnatural burning weapon for those present.</p><p>Berel Sala put his sword away.</p><p>– Where is Almsivi, Sala? – Master Barelo asked. – Don’t they dare show their face? – Everyone glanced around nervously.</p><p>– The Nerevarine is here. – Mehra Milo added. – Almsivi no longer speaks for the people. If they did, they would show themselves today. – Sala’s face was contorted with anger, as he heard these words.</p><p>– Enough! Both of you. – The Nerevarine exclaimed. – I don’t want a fight. I hoped that with the defeat of the Sixth House, the Dunmer people could continue as a united nation, under the guidance of a New Temple, despite the Empire. I hoped that under Archcanon Saryoni, the transition could happen in a peaceful manner, and I would not be needed anymore. But I was wrong, the Ordinators murdered Archcanon Saryoni. – Everyone nervously listened to what they had to say. – The Temple must return to the faith of ages past, the veneration of our ancestors and the Good Daedra. Unless we resolve this now, there will be more bloodshed.</p><p>– How dare you accuse us of that? – Berel Sala exclaimed.</p><p>– Watch your tongue! – Mehra Milo warned Sala. – You are talking to the Nerevarine.</p><p>The Nerevarine raised one hand to signal to Mehra Milo to stop speaking.</p><p>– The Temple will return to the old ways, under the leadership of Archcanon Barelo, but we will keep the Ordinators, to protect our nation from the Empire and the Bad Daedra. – The Nerevarine proclaimed.</p><p>– Unacceptable! – Berel Sala shouted, and drew his sword again in anger.</p><p>– Perhaps do you need some convincing? – The Nerevarine asked with a huge grin on their face. They looked at one of the Ashlanders, who nodded and presented a sack to them. The Nerevarine opened the sack and emptied its content to the ground of the Palace. Three heads. The Nerevarine made sure to be theatrical during this action. The people in the Palace were uneasy because some of them could at least recognize one of the heads: Lord Vivec, who appeared in public when he proclaimed the end of the persecution of the Dissident Priests and the Nerevarine. One of the other heads was similar to that Dwemer machine I had seen in Master Aryon’s tower. Half of it was metallic. He was rather a machine than a person. The last one looked like a female Altmer with red hair. But I understood that she was in fact, a Chimer. Even though the latter two never appeared in public anymore, from the frescoes and the depictions of the shrines, they could clearly be recognizable. That was our religion. Or rather what remained of it. This outlander destroyed that all and fulfilled Lord Nerevar’s ancient promise.</p><p>– Blasphemy! – Berel Sala yelled, and charged at the Nerevarine, with three or four of the most zealous Ordinators following him. They were not a match for such a hero, they could kill them all. Berel Sala’s dead body fell next to Almsivi’s heads. At least in death, he could join them.</p><p>– Whatever I do, I cannot bring them back from death. So I’m not going to fight. – Tiras Venim nodded at the Nerevarine. That statement may have had a secondary meaning. Perhaps with that, he had also forgiven for the death of his father, which was also caused by the hand of the Nerevarine. The Redoran left the Palace, while the rest of the late Sala’s Ordinators didn’t show any intent to fight.</p><p>Master Barelo took the opportunity and delivered a little speech to the Ordinators, and everybody else present:</p><p>– Do not fear. If you must, mourn the Tribunal. But know that they were not real gods. They were fallible mortals, like any of us. Look at that! – He pointed at the heads on the floor before he continued. – All of Tamriel will hear about what happened here today. We can rebuild the Temple now, and heal the divisions between the Dunmer. The Emperor is old and sick, and the Empire will be consumed by the succession. We are free now, and we will have all the time to rediscover a deeper truth concerning divine wisdom and power. A new era awaits us: Without Emperors and God-kings!</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Uvoo tells Alice that she leaves the Temple, as she is not willing to serve under the leadership of the Dissident Priests. Alice realizes that she loves her, and follows her to Mournhold to confess her feelings. Cold reception at the Royal Palace for being an Ordinator.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The crowd dispersed, without either side initiating any further conflict. Only a handful of the Dissident Priests stayed behind to receive their orders from Master Barelo and congratulate to the Nerevarine. One of the priests erected a magical barrier around the heads of the three gods so that no one would be able to steal or desecrate them, but everyone would be able to go there and see proof that Almsivi is dead. There was no doubt that the news of what happened that day would spread and people from all around the Empire would wish to come there to witness a piece of history. Perhaps the Palace would become a pilgrimage site of the New Temple of Master Barelo, where Lord Nerevar finally had his revenge over the Tribunal for their sins against him. I approached Master Barelo when he had a moment to talk with me:</p><p>– So, can I call you Archcanon Barelo now? – I asked.</p><p>He chuckled:</p><p>– Not yet. The College of Temple Masters will hold a meeting and elect the new Archcanon, and I should respect this process before I can call myself “Archcanon.” Some of the Temple leaders oppose me heavily, but in this meeting, not only the Temple Masters and Mistresses would have a vote, but also well-respected, albeit lower-ranking members of the Temple, such as Methal Seran, who is famous throughout the Empire for his knowledge in the art of conjuration. However, even if I manage to become the Archcanon, I would have to work with an opposition, especially from the mainland branches of the Temple. There is a lot of work to be done. The faith of the people is shaken, but it would take years, or even decades before the majority of the Dunmer would forsake the Tribunal entirely, and accept that they are dead.</p><p>– But… – I protested.</p><p>– Yes, I know that I proclaimed a new era without God-kings, but that was only rhetorics. There is a hard struggle before us. But at least without Sala, we can convert people legally again.</p><p>– Speaking of Sala, what about the Ordinators? – I asked.</p><p>– I would make you the leader, if I had the power, but I don’t. I expect that the one they call “Grand Inquisitor” will replace him. But in this confusion, it will be some time, and we will be ready if they get aggressive again. Just do your duty, when I become Archcanon, you’ll become the new leader of the Ordinators.</p><p>I wasn’t sure whether I wanted that. I just witnessed that Almsivi were dead, and with that, all my remaining doubts about the claims of the Dissident Priests had gone, however, I saw with my own eyes all the cruelty and madness that the Daedra were capable of. I didn’t want to be a crusader of these gods. They might have had real powers, unlike Almsivi, but they were worse than Almsivi, in spite of everything. I approached the Nerevarine too, to exchange a few words with them:</p><p>– So what now? A war against the Empire? – I asked.</p><p>– No. – They replied. – The Empire will not last for long, it will collapse on its own, and I’m certain that Morrowind will take the opportunity. However, my role in this nation’s history has been fulfilled. I’m free now to pursue my own dreams.</p><p>– And what would those be? – I inquired.</p><p>– Have you heard about Solstheim? A new mining colony will open there. Ebony. There’s a lot of money to be made. I’ll go there to make a fortune.</p><p>I chuckled:</p><p>– So, the god-killer becomes a merchant.</p><p>– It will be better. I’ll sleep in my manor, have decent meals and all that. And hopefully, never ever fight and have to save the world again. What are your plans? – They asked.</p><p>– I guess I’ll just do what I have always done. – I shrugged.</p><p>– I’d say it’s time for you to pursue your own destiny. You are free now too. Like the rest of Morrowind.</p><p>– Will I ever see you again? – I asked.</p><p>– Probably not. I don’t intend to come back to Morrowind. – They told me.</p><p>I left the Palace of Vivec, and went home to Maar Gan, to sleep. The last year was challenging for me. I remembered that when I became 18, I was merely a poor waitress from a backwater town, who had to run away from wild animals. And with my 19th birthday approaching, I had so many experiences. I became a fearless Ordinator, who fought against Daedra, vampires and Sixth House cultists, and I also advanced to the status of a noblewoman of House Indoril. If it wasn’t for the Nerevarine, and the death of Almsivi, I would have been the proudest person. However, inside I was hollow. I got my rank and status serving a fake religion. It was all meaningless. I had more worth as a waitress. At least, the cause of the waitress is worthy: She serves food to people. I took the life of people, in the name of fake gods.</p><p>I believed that it was the chaotic state of the Temple and the Ordinators, that in those days, no courier arrived to tell me to report for duty. I thought that if I cannot follow my duty, as Master Barelo requested, I would follow my heart: I went to Ghostgate to meet with Mistress Uvoo Llaren. The fortress was still mainly empty after the defeat of the Sixth House, and it lost its previous importance. Llaren was in the Temple, as usual. However, it seemed that all the other priests and priestesses already abandoned the place. She was alone there. As I entered, she addressed me:</p><p>– Alice! – We embraced each other. – It’s good that you happened to drop by. This is my last day here.</p><p>– What? Why? – I asked, in shock.</p><p>– My work here is no longer relevant after the defeat of Dagoth Ur. And I no longer know what to think. It seems that the rumors about the fading power of the Tribunal are not without truth, I have felt it myself. I tried to pray at the shrines this morning, but some of them do not provide a blessing anymore. However, I am not willing to assist in Barelo’s madness to reorganize the Temple as a Daedric Cult. So I leave my post, and return to Mournhold, to live the life of an Indoril noblewoman again.</p><p>As I listened to her words, I couldn’t control myself, and I burst into tears. The woman whom I loved would just walk out of my life. She would live in Mournhold, and we would never see each other again. Not even with all the money I had at that point, I would be able to move there, and the authorities wouldn’t even allow me to leave Vvardenfell, as the island was still under quarantine because of fears that the Blight persisted. It was bitter, and I knew that I would have to confess my feelings to her, or I would lose my chance forever. As she saw me crying, she asked me what the problem was. However, I just couldn’t collect my strength to confess the truth, so I said the stupidest thing that could be said in that situation:</p><p>– The shrines do not work anymore? – I sobbed.</p><p>– I know, Alice. It is frightening. Perhaps Almsivi really left this world. I’m terribly sorry, as a Temple Mistress, I should guide you, but I just do not have the answers.</p><p>– Please do not leave me. – I finally uttered, with tears in my eyes, as I embraced her once again.</p><p>– What? – She asked.</p><p>– Please do not leave Vvardenfell. I want you to stay. – I confessed.</p><p>– Why? – She asked. I sighed, and I collected my thoughts, as I wiped off my tears:</p><p>– Because… I feel embarrassed in your presence. You are so beautiful, and graceful and pleasant. I’ll never be half the woman you are. I was ashamed when after the defeat of Dagoth Ur, you tirelessly saved the life of the wounded throughout the night, while others were celebrating And in this ever-changing world, you make sense. You are like the mother for me that I never had… you always know what is the best for me. When I was confused after I took the life of that mer, you made me join the Ordinators, to use my capacity to harm others for good. I know that your confession saved my life when they held me in the Ministry of Truth. What else could I feel towards you if not eternal gratitude and utmost respect? When the Ordinators came here to massacre the Dissident Priests, I was so afraid that you were harmed. I wanted to protect you from them. – I finished my clumsy confession of love.</p><p>– Alice… – she replied. – You were one of the most diligent healers, and I was always satisfied with your performance. When you approached me after killing that mer Kogoruhn, sobbing, I knew that without help, you would harm yourself, or even worse. I wanted to protect you from that. Your imprisonment in the Ministry of Truth was an open, but unspoken secret. I gladly testified to save you. I admire your strength and courage. After all you’ve been through, you could still perform your duties to the letter, and return all those artifacts to me, and accompany the Nerevarine to Red Mountain. You are a hero. And I feel that you are like a daughter to me. I wanted to ask how you feel so many times, and have an honest conversation about everything you’ve been through. I wanted to reach out and help you. And when you helped me treating the wounded after the defeat of Dagoth Ur, you earned my utmost respect too. No one else offered to help, only you.</p><p>– Kiss me! – I whispered to her, ashamed, and still sobbing. Immediately after I had said that, I regretted it. My heart was pounding rapidly, and I was certain that she would refuse. However, to my surprise, she leaned closer to me, with her eyes closed. My heart was pounding even more rapidly, as I closed my eyes, to press my lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and I held her, with my arms around her waist. It was a moment of bliss that I never wanted to end, as our lips touched, and our tongues met with each other. I felt relieved too, because it revealed to me that it was true that two women together in that way would not be a stupid fantasy, it could happen in real life too. But it ended in a fragment of a moment, as she suddenly pushed me away from herself. She told me:</p><p>– Forgive me, Alice. I knew for a long time what feelings you have towards me. I could figure it out without your confession too. The way you always look at me… like my husband did. As if… you wanted to possess me. But as your superior in the Temple, I should have been the wiser one, and not allow you doing this.</p><p>– Your husband? – I asked.</p><p>– My late husband. I’m a widow. It was inappropriate from me, I got carried away. And I’ve never been with a…</p><p>– I’ve never been either.</p><p>– As I said, it would be inappropriate, especially because I’m your superior.</p><p>– Not when you return to Mournhold… – I told her, with a smile on my face. – I’m an Indoril noblewoman too.</p><p>– But I’m still a widow, and you’re still an insolent chit! – She told me, talking with an authority in her voice, and perhaps the intention to hurt my feelings. – Of course, you’re welcome to visit me in Mournhold. As a friend.</p><p>– I’ll visit you, and make you mine. I could defeat Raxle Berne. I can defeat Uvoo Llaren too. – I felt that I was filled with confidence. After all, she kissed me. Perhaps she loved me too, or perhaps she just got carried away and yielded to the moment. Or perhaps she just felt pity towards me. Either way, I had a chance to win her over. She felt something more towards me than friendship. Maybe it was the lack of love in her life since her husband died, which made her crave my kiss, or maybe she genuinely viewed me her protege, someone similar to a daughter and she just wanted to make me feel good. Even if she didn’t love me in that moment, I felt that it could be developed. As far as I was concerned, I finally admitted to myself that I loved her. We exchanged a few more words, embraced each other again, and said goodbye. I went home with a huge grin on my face.</p><p>I relived the moment of our kiss in my mind again and again. I admit that I imagined new details. We continued kissing in my fantasy, and we removed each other’s clothes to make passionate love on the floor of the Temple, among the shrines of the dead gods. I imagined the streets of Mournhold to be similar to Vivec, and our future there. We would walk down the streets. I would wear my Indoril armor, and she would put her arm around me. I would be the fearless Indoril warrior who protects her woman. Yes! Her woman. Only hers. The people wouldn’t dare to say anything about two women being together like that. But then I realized that this dream was unrealistic. In Indoril territory they would probably arrest us for being in love with somebody from our own gender. Perhaps if we moved to Telvanni territory? Or to the Empire?</p><p>I realized that I got carried away with those fantasies. First, I had to figure out how to go to Mournhold at all. As I was thinking about that, I remembered that Fedris Hler, a priest of Almalexia wanted to meet with me, so that I could replace the now-dead Salas Valor as one of “Her Hands.” Maybe that was the reason that I didn’t get any new orders from the Temple in the past few days too? I was supposed to report to Hler, and everyone assumed that I was in Mournhold, doing whatever tasks Hler had for me. A Redoran guard in Maar Gan, whom I did not recognize, as since the extensive recruitment of new Redoran warriors, the fluctuation among them were high, even told me that a certain Apelles Matius arrived recently from the mainland to Ebonheart, so he might be able to help me get to Mournhold. That took care of that part, however, I still needed a plan to seduce Uvoo Llaren. I went over to the hut of my friend, Mabrelle Gales, to ask for advice. She opened the door, and invited me in:</p><p>– Alice! It’s so good to see you again. It has been a long time. Too busy with adventuring, eh? – She asked. We sat down at her table, drank a cup of Mazte together and talked for an hour about how each of us had been. Following that, I got to the point:</p><p>– You thought me all the female practices, dear. Do you remember when you talked about how a man can be seduced?</p><p>– Ah, of course. Give them food, and look beautiful, but innocent. Telvanni Bug Musk cannot hurt either. Many men are driven by their instincts. – She replied.</p><p>– Yes, but I need your help with something else. How can I seduce a… woman?</p><p>– What? By Dibella! I never expected that question from you, Temple girl!</p><p>I blushed. She continued:</p><p>– Don’t be ashamed, my dear. Love is beautiful, no matter what form it takes. I can tell you what makes me, as a woman, happy, although I have never really been with another woman, only with men: I want him to be polite, open the door for me, give me flowers. But don’t view me a helpless little girl who is at his mercy and needs flowers, and empty acts of politeness to feel good. I want him to compliment me on my looks. But I want him to appreciate me for my personality, and respect me as a person. Make me laugh, but be serious about the matters of life. Be confident, but humble. And most importantly: Be fun! Take that lady to a date, and be flirty.</p><p>I was confused by this list of requirements. It seemed that seducing a woman was way harder than seducing a man. Some of the things even contradicted each other. But my friend was not stupid, she was wiser than she seemed. Perhaps her goal was showing me that there is, in fact, no foolproof plan for seducing a woman. At least the last part was tangible about taking her to a date and being fun and flirty. I decided that I would do that. And get a bottle of Telvanni Bug Musk too, just to be on the safe side. I bought it from Mathis Dalobar, the traveling merchant. I packed some of my expensive clothes into my backpack too, and left Maar Gan to Vivec, from where I took the ship to Ebonheart.</p><p>In Ebonheart, I had found Apelles Matius, who told me that Asciene Rane, the court wizard of Duke Vedam Dren might be able to teleport me to Mournhold. When I approached her with my request, she protested, due to the possibility of a Blight contamination that I may carry over there. When I showed my orders from Fedris Hler, she checked whether I was healthy, and when it was revealed that I was, she teleported me away. In a few moments, I arrived at Mournhold, the capital city of Morrowind. I was in a huge reception hall, decorated with flowers and with enormous statues. An Argonian, who was in a robe worn usually by mages, addressed me as I arrived:</p><p>– Greetings, stranger. Welcome to the palace of King Helseth. I’m Effe-Tei, his court wizard. – He said.</p><p>An Argonian court wizard? How irregular. I heard that the royal family was quite progressive by Dunmer standards and that they were faithful to the ideology of the Imperials, but still, it was maybe too much. Most Dunmer could barely tolerate the presence of Argonians as free commoners in Morrowind. I was certain that many opposed that one of them would become a trusted servant of the leader of the country.</p><p>– Thank you. – I replied, without giving the courtesy to the Argonian to introduce myself too. – I’m looking for Fedris Hler.</p><p>– He’s in the Temple. – He said, coldly. I wasn’t sure whether the change of tone was because the way I addressed him was considered rude, or the name “Fedris Hler” evoked such a reaction from the Argonian,</p><p>– Where’s the Temple? – I asked.</p><p>– Buy a map of the city at the bookseller. – He replied.</p><p>– All right. Where’s the bookseller?</p><p>– You are really getting on my nerves.</p><p>In that moment, a guard in red armor – similar to the one worn by the Nerevarine – approached us. He addressed the Argonian:</p><p>– Is this Ordinator scum bothering you? – The Argonian nodded, and then the guard turned towards me and addressed me: – We don’t like your kind here. Leave the Royal Palace at once.</p><p>– I just arrived from Vvardenfell! – I protested. – Just tell me the location of the Temple, and I’m out of here.</p><p>– Just leave the Palace, and head to the north. The Temple is beyond the gates. Now go! – He pointed at one of the doors.</p><p>– All right, all right! – I told them, gesturing with my hand that they had won, and left the room. What an unpleasant company. Maybe I shouldn’t have expected anything else from the court of a Hlaalu king. I left the Palace, and entered the courtyard of the Palace, from where I went over to the courtyard of the Temple, enduring the unpleasant looks of courtiers that I had met on my way.</p><p>The courtyard of the Temple was way more pleasant. The trees were green, and the flowers – which did not grow in Vvardenfell – smelled great. The Temple itself, which was rather the Palace of Almalexia, was even more magnificent than Ghostgate, the High Fane in Vivec, or Vivec’s Palace. It started to rain, and I didn’t have my helmet on, so I hurried to enter the building. I noticed some of my colleagues patrolling the courtyard, they had a way better quality of the Indoril armor on, and ebony scimitars attached to their side.</p><p>I entered the Temple, and I addressed the one who seemed to be in charge. He was a Dunmer priest in a robe, but it could be seen that he was some kind of a warrior too, as he hid glass armor underneath the robe, unlike a regular priest.</p><p>– Fedris Hler? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes? Who are you and what do you want? – He replied.</p><p>– My name is Elisamsi, an Ordinator from Vvardenfell. I’ve got a letter from you that you consider me for a position as one of the Hands of Almalexia. – I handed the letter over. He took it, and took a glance at it, before he gave it back, and replied:</p><p>– Hmm… yes. You took your time, didn’t you? Normally, Lady Almalexia would set you a task so that you could prove that you are indeed worthy of the position. However, she is traveling now. – He told me. I was uncertain whether he told me that because he really believed that, or the local Temple just wanted to hide the fact that she was dead. – We will contact you at a later date. Now, excuse me.- He added.</p><p>It was strange to me that he said that they would contact me, without giving me any tangible instructions about where should I stay so that I could be reached when the time was appropriate. It was clear that they did not intend to contact me at all, actually. I used this opportunity to ask for directions, hiding my intention behind giving information to him:</p><p>– I’ll probably stay with a friend here, in Mournhold. She is Uvoo Llaren, a noblewoman from House Indoril. Could you tell me where she lives?</p><p>– An Indoril noblewoman? Try the Godsreach district. It is to the west of here.</p><p>– Thank you. – I told him, and left the Temple.</p><p>I walked through the courtyard, to approach the gates to the west, which led me to the next district. It was a district full with manors, and a few expensive shops and taverns. Its Indoril architecture was unlike anything on Vvardenfell, and it was not similar to Vivec’s architecture at all, in spite of my expectations. A citizen pointed Llaren manor out for me, for which I was glad because I was so preoccupied with my thoughts concerning whatever had happened with Almalexia that I had forgotten to put my helmet on before I left the building of the Temple. The manor was a two-story building, with about eight windows. Mistress Uvoo Llaren was rich. I wondered what her motivation was for becoming a Temple priestess and risking her life and health to serve at Ghostgate, when she could have just lived in this luxury all the time. My heart was in my mouth. How would I be received? Would I be disappointed? Or finally find happiness here, on the other side of the Inner Sea? Not looking impressive at all, but rather miserable with my hair drenched in the rain, I took a deep breath and knocked on her door.</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice reunites with Uvoo in Mournhold. Uvoo shows her the city, and they spend some time together. Alice seduces Uvoo, and she falls in love with her too. A call of duty, killing a lich in Old Mourhnold, and stumbling upon a Temple of Molag Bal. Alice gets attacked there and passes out.</p>
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    <p>The door opened. Contrary to my expectations, the one who greeted me was not a servant or a maid, but Mistress Uvoo Llaren herself. I would have never expected the mistress of such a huge manor to open the door for a visitor.</p><p>– Alice! – She exclaimed. – What brings you here? Come in, come in. You’ll catch a cold in this rain.</p><p>I nodded and stepped into her home, with water dripping from my hair. Her manor was impressive. The room right next to the entrance was the library. This room alone was bigger than my entire hut. I noticed that there weren’t servants around at all. Did she live there alone?</p><p>– I told you that I would visit you. – I smiled. – I’ve got a letter that they wanted me to become one of the Hands of Almalexia. That’s why I’m in Mournhold. – I lied, that was only my pretext for coming, the real reason was standing right in front of me.</p><p>– Why, that’s a great honor! – She commented. I couldn’t help but notice that it felt like her joy was only pretended. – I believe that you deserve it. What are your orders?</p><p>– They’ll set me a task. Just wait around until that. – I replied. I suspected that the day when they set me a task would never come, but it was an excellent pretext for me to stay in Mournhold.</p><p>– You are more than welcome to stay in my manor until they call for you. – She offered. Yes! Just what I wanted. – I’ll show you my manor, and your room.</p><p>The bottom floor had the library, a storage room, and a bathroom, with a wooden tub. We climbed the stairs, and there was a kitchen, and three bedrooms upstairs, two smaller and one large. After showing me everything, we arrived in one of the smaller bedrooms.</p><p>– This will be your room. Dry your hair, and change your clothes. – She told me.</p><p>– Is this the room of a servant or a family member? I wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience. – I protested, out of courtesy.</p><p>– Yes, it’s the room of a family member. But she’s not staying here right now. I don’t have servants. – She told me. – While you get changed, I’ll make you some fried kwama eggs! – She changed the topic suddenly. What was this new desire to please me? Fried kwama eggs?</p><p>She left my room, and I removed my Indoril armor. I opened my backpack, and took a set of expensive clothes out, and put them on. I dried my hair, and since it was not under a helmet this time, I let it down. It was both natural and feminine. Finally, I used my Telvanni Bug Musk too. I left my room and went to the kitchen, where Mistress Uvoo Llaren already waited for me with the breakfast.</p><p>– Thank you. – I said and sat down. I crossed my legs and sat with a straight posture. I tried to be as feminine and graceful as I could, but it was something that I did not have the opportunity to practice a lot, being a warrior from a backwater town.</p><p>– Trama Root tea? – She asked.</p><p>– Yes, please. – I replied, and she poured some into a cup. We ate our breakfast in silence. I was happy to be in her presence, not as an Ordinator, but as Alice. I didn’t feel like saying a word. I just hoped that my new looks would impress her more than my Indoril armor. Sometimes we looked at each other and smiled. It was a moment of grace in my life. I wished that I could start every morning like that, with her on my side at the breakfast table. I didn’t hurry. It wasn’t a meal I had to have as an Ordinator quickly, before my next assignment. I enjoyed every moment of it. The rain stopped knocking on the window.</p><p>– What are your plans for today? – I asked her, as we were approaching the end of our meal.</p><p>– Nothing. – She admitted. – Without my duties in the Temple, I don’t really have a schedule anymore.</p><p>– Would you show me the city of Mournhold? – I offered. – I have never been here.</p><p>She nodded, with a grin on her face, and we agreed to spend a day together, seeing the sights of Mournhold. She left to her room to change her clothes. She appeared in a set of exquisite clothes. She was beautiful, in fact, she couldn’t have been more perfect than that. Even when she was a priestess at Ghostgate, she stunned me with her beauty and grace, but wearing such clothes really made her a sight to behold. I felt ashamed to be in her presence, in spite of taking care to look good that morning.</p><p>We left the manor together, not as Temple priestess and Ordinator, but as two Indoril noblewomen, and two friends.</p><p>The first place that we visited was the so-called “Museum of Artifacts” in the Godsreach district. It turned out that it was the private museum of another Indoril noblewoman, Torasa Aram. Mistress Uvoo Llaren introduced me to her. It felt good that I could meet with another member of my House, and I was really impressed by this person. She spent a fortune on this museum, whose goal was collecting and displaying unique items of Morrowind. Anyone could enter free of charge, and a copy of a book was provided which gave information about the various items that could be seen inside. Educating the people was a noble cause, something for which she deserved the “noblewoman” classification, indeed. However, I felt that maybe a similar approach as the Dwemer Museum of Master Aryon would have been more beneficial, that is, collecting everyday objects from Morrowind, and through them providing information about our culture and history. The knowledge concerning the story of these unique items was not something that a commoner could use in practice.</p><p>Following that, we went over to the Great Bazaar district for shopping. I had bought several sets of clothes, and jewelry at the clothier, and a couple of books at the bookseller. A wandering troupe of players performed the play, The Horror of Castle Xyr, which we watched together. It was a fun day, and one of the happiest ones in my life, as I could spend the entirety of it with Uvoo Llaren.</p><p>In the evening, we went to The Winged Guar, a tavern in the Godsreach district, to have a couple of drinks. We took a table in the balcony of the tavern, and we enjoyed our Mazte, looking at the sky. We noticed that the constellation of the Serpent dominated it. Later, we had lost some money to a Dunmer who played a Game of Shells with us in the tavern, and we had got a bit tipsy before we went home.</p><p>At home, Uvoo Llaren told me:</p><p>– Thank you for today, Alice. It was a great day. Just like one of those days we used to have with my daughter, strolling in the city.</p><p>– Do you have a daughter? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes. But after the death of her father, she is not living with me anymore.</p><p>– Do you miss her? – I inquired.</p><p>– Let’s not talk about her now. It has been a long day. We walked a lot and my feet are killing me.</p><p>– Are they? – I asked, not understanding the reason at first. – Oh, of course. You are not an Ordinator to march kilometers every day. I can rub your feet… if you want. – I offered.</p><p>– Well… okay… – she replied, with some hesitation. She took her shoes off, and we sat down at her bed in her bedroom. She put her feet on my lap. She closed her eyes and tried to relax as I rubbed her feet. Her feet were especially soft and feminine, unlike mine. Marching and wearing my Indoril boots all the time took its toll on them. I enjoyed how she sighed and expressed that she enjoys my massage as my fingers pressed her soles. I used my fists to press her soles even harder, and she was moaning from the pleasure. I felt happy that I could please her, and secretly I also hoped that it was true that the foot was an erogenous zone. When I started to apply pressure on her toes with my fingers, she laid her head back on the pillows and sighed, and softly moaned. I wanted to hear more of that.</p><p>I decided that I would be a bit more playful with my task, and I tickled her feet with my fingers during the massage. She chuckled, and her smile was so adorable that it filled me with joy to see and hear it.</p><p>– Stop it, Alice! – She told me, between two chuckles. – Stop fooling around.</p><p>– But I want to see you like that. Happy. – I replied, with a grin on my face.</p><p>– Then stop this, and continue rubbing it!</p><p>– Yes, Mistress. – I told her and continued for several more minutes.</p><p>It ended with that, and we went to sleep. I loved her strict tone with me and how she demanded to continue massaging her. I felt that I wanted to serve her and that it would fill me with joy if I could do her bidding and please her. Before falling asleep, I imagined scenarios, in which she gave me orders to please her in every way possible and I would have to do it, otherwise she would punish me. It aroused me so much that I felt like going into her room right away, dropping on my knees and begging her to allow me to serve her.</p><p>The next morning, I woke up before she did, and I decided that I would give her a surprise. I used my knowledge of cooking and made her Crab Meat and Scuttle for breakfast. Since the previous night we went to bed without bathing, I also brought water from the well, warmed it up with the fire, and filled her wooden tub with it so that she could take a bath.</p><p>She came straight to the kitchen after she woke up. She was wearing her robe. The way she looked was charming. Uncombed, tangled hair, and being sleepy. I felt that I could kiss her. But honestly, I always felt that way.</p><p>– Good morning, Mistress! – I told her.</p><p>– Ah… you don’t have to call me Mistress. – She protested. – What is this nice smell here?</p><p>– Crab Meat and Scuttle. A Redoran specialty. I made it for you. And I also drew a bath for you so that you could wash off yesterday’s dirt, Mistress. – I put an emphasis on calling her “Mistress” to signal that I want to please her, in spite of her protests.</p><p>– Why, thank you, Alice! You are so caring. – She told me. I noticed that she may have slightly blushed, as she uttered those words. I watched her eating her breakfast, and I was happy that she liked it. I served food to hundreds when I worked as a cook and waitress, but perhaps this was the first time I put my heart into it. I thought that I would feed my husband this way, but fate made me fall in love with another woman instead. I didn’t feel ashamed anymore for wanting to be the woman of another woman, I just wanted it. Every inch of my body ached for her.</p><p>– My daughter… she always made me breakfast too. – She continued. – Her father was an Ordinator, who fell in battle. After that, she ran away from home. I don’t know where is she now. I just hope that she is all right. I miss her. – She burst into tears. I immediately embraced her and allowed her to cry on my shoulder. I didn’t say a word, I just hoped that I would be able to make her happy a bit, after the loss of her husband, her daughter, and importance as the priestess of Ghostgate. She may have not been particularly influential or important at that point, but I felt that for me, she meant the whole world.</p><p>After our breakfast, she went to bathe. After about five minutes, I heard her yelling from the bathroom:</p><p>– Alice! Come here! – She yelled.</p><p>I did as I was asked, and I entered the bathroom. I saw her sitting in the bathtub, enjoying the hot water. I took a glance at her naked body. She rested her arms on the rim of the tub, and her legs were not closed, but rather open, as if she wanted to invite me between them. From an objective point of view, her body was far from perfect, and definitely not how I imagined it in my fantasies. Her breasts were somehow saggy, and she had stretch marks on her, especially on her belly. She was a bit chubby too, which was covered by the robes she was always wearing, as a priestess. I quickly took my glance away from her, and looked at the floor, blushing.</p><p>– What is it? – She asked, with her tone mocking me. – Did you expect Lady Almalexia? I’m not an 18 years old chit anymore, and I had a daughter!</p><p>– I’ll be 19 tomorrow, actually. – I told her.</p><p>– Oh? Well, you may look at me.</p><p>– Thank you, Mistress. – I told her and took a longer look. Even like this, she was beautiful, at least in my eyes. I felt desire, and I thought that such a body must have had a lot of experience and that it must be blissful to embrace it, without clothes being in the way. I bit my lips.</p><p>– So, you want to serve me? Fine. Then don’t just stand there! Wash my back. – She commanded me.</p><p>– Yes, Mistress. – I told her.</p><p>– Remove your clothes, and come in first. – She ordered me. I dropped my robe on the floor. She made space for me behind her back, and I could sit there. I started washing her back with my hands. – Hmm… – she moaned, and definitely enjoyed the touch of my hands. Her skin was soft. She didn’t ask me, but I embraced her from behind and washed her breasts too. I collected some hot water in my hands, and I poured it on them.</p><p>She sighed, and addressed me:</p><p>– High-ranking priests in the Temple hierarchy know that the Hands of Almalexia are, in fact, the lovers of the goddess. When I heard that you would become one, I got jealous. I admit it now: I want all of your love… for myself. Is that wrong? I haven’t been loved for years.</p><p>I gave a kiss to her neck. She opened her legs again. I took a moment to enjoy the smell of her hair. I believed that she used some kind of a soap made from the oils of fruits and flowers. It wasn’t mawkish like some of the products used by women, but pleasant and elegant. I felt that I couldn’t even dream of a more perfect way to finally experience being with another person sexually, than that cool summer morning, inside the hot water with my Mistress. She chuckled as I kissed her neck, it seemed that she was ticklish there too. I continued washing her breasts and her belly with my hands. She laid her head back and looked into my eyes. She turned her body around too and wrapped her arms around my neck. Our breasts touched each other, and she leaned closer to me. We kissed. This time, it didn’t end under a second. We kissed for minutes, passionately, and after that, she kissed my neck, my face, my lips over and over again.</p><p>We had spent the whole day together, experiencing something none of us experienced before. We were clumsy first, but it didn’t matter. We were together, and we were happy that way. The prospect of a romantic relationship was scary for both of us, as we belonged to the same gender after all, but we knew that first, we have to fulfill our desire for each other’s touch before we can discuss that. That night, I had fallen asleep in her bed, naked, with she being naked too and holding me. We snuggled and I laid my head on her chest. It felt dreamy, as if I was protected by her. I felt secure. I imagined that if I had the opportunity to know my mother, as a child, I would have fallen asleep in a similar manner with her, without the sexuality, of course. But it didn’t last for long. Our desire for each other took precedence over our need to sleep, and we woke up several times that night to do it again and again. At midnight, I turned 19. I couldn’t have desired a better birthday gift. The constellation of the Serpent still dominated the sky, just like the day I was born, 19 years ago. As if even the stars knew that that night was about me.</p><p>The next morning, it was raining heavily again. I was sleeping in the arms of Uvoo, and I woke up when I heard a knock on the door.</p><p>– Alice! Get the door. – My Mistress commanded me, mumbling, and half-asleep. I put my robe on, and went downstairs, yawning, and half-asleep too. Uvoo exhausted me last night. It was a courier at the door, telling me that my services as an Ordinator would be required. I was supposed to meet with a Temple priestess named Nerile Andaren for my orders. I would have rather preferred spending another day in the arms of Uvoo, but if duty calls, an Ordinator should respond. Since Almalexia was dead, I wouldn’t need to serve her that way, if I became one of “Her Hands,” in fact, I suspected that I would have to guard an empty room, pretending that the goddess was still among us. It sounded like a perfect job, especially if it meant that I could stay in Mournhold with my Uvoo.</p><p>I dressed up. I put my Indoril armor on, as well as my healing robe. I left the manor, exchanging small kisses on the lip with Uvoo, and promising her to hurry back to celebrate my birthday together. I went over to the Temple district, and one of my colleagues told me that there was an infirmary inside the Temple, where Nerile Andaren was treating the sick. She was giving a potion to a mer, who was lying on a bed, when I entered. I approached and addressed her:</p><p>– Nerile Andaren? I’m Elisamsi. You requested my presence.</p><p>– Indeed. – She told me. – There is a situation I need your help with. Fedris Hler is not willing to give me any Ordinators under his command, but he told me that an Ordinator from the Vvardenfell branch of the Temple is staying in our city.</p><p>– How can I help you? – I asked. I hoped that I could get this done quickly and go back to Uvoo.</p><p>– There’s a recent outbreak of an epidemic in our city. We had done our research and determined that it is the so-called Crimson Plague. It was stamped out during the Second Era, but now it’s resurfaced. The rats spreading it are coming from the tombs in the sewers.</p><p>– There are tombs in the sewers? – I asked in disbelief. How disrespectful that was towards the dead!</p><p>– Yes. Underneath the sewers, there was a city, Old Mournhold. When it got destroyed, Mournhold was built on top of it. These tombs are no longer used, however, we could determine that the source of the epidemic is the tomb of Gedna Relvel. An informant – a lowlife thief after some loot in the sewers – witnessed that an adventurer opened her tomb, and awakened Relvel. She is a powerful lich now. Go down to the sewers, head east, until you arrive at the Temple Gardens of Old Mournhold. Her tomb is there. – She commanded me.</p><p>I nodded and went down to the basement, which had a trapdoor leading down to the sewers. So much about my plans for that day with Uvoo. There was no way she would desire me after I spent the day hunting for a lich down in the sewers. I walked through the sewers. A couple of aggressive beggars, living down there, attacked me to rob me, but I could kill them. There were some undead I had to face too – skeletons, ghosts. No doubt that they died when Old Mournhold was destroyed. I arrived at the Temple Gardens of Old Mournhold. Determining the right tomb was an easy task, it was the one with the open door. That foolish adventurer left it like that. I entered the tomb and descended into its depths. I killed a couple of undead and infected rats before I arrived at what seemed to be the main chamber. It had an open sarcophagus. It seemed that at least in Old Mournhold, Dunmer buried their dead the way outlanders did, instead of cremating them.</p><p>From the darkness, the lich appeared, addressing me:</p><p>– Weakling! You dare to cross my threshold? You, then, will be the first to fall, before the undead army sweeps across this land like a plague, cleansing it of your flesh, in the name of my lord, Molag Bal. Die, mortal!</p><p>I couldn’t believe my ears. It was once again a servant of Molag Bal. Was I really destined to stumble upon them with every step that I took? The lich was the toughest opponent that I faced up to that point. She used a powerful spell against me, which combined fire and shock damage. In spite of all my healing magic, I felt that some of my skin was burned off by the fire. The metallic parts of my armor amplified the shock damage and some of my hair fell out too. I was half dead before the lich fell to my club. I left the tomb, not being myself. I felt that in spite of my training as an Ordinator, this fight was too much, and I was lucky that I could survive. Naturally, I didn’t think about bringing a scroll of Almsivi Intervention, so I had to walk back to the Temple, through the sewers. When will I learn the benefits of magic? I felt that I would collapse in any moment.</p><p>I noticed that there was some kind of a natural cave leading out from the Temple Gardens. I didn’t notice it on my way there. Was it always there, or was it just revealed now? Visions entered my mind, and I had no doubt who sent them. It was actually not one, but two separate visions of my possible future, following each other. One of them showed me leaving the Temple Gardens the way I came. Somehow I crawl back to the Temple, and the healers bring me back to life. I spend the rest of my life, with Uvoo Llaren, but I wouldn’t be able to fight anymore, and I would be disfigured forever. Nevertheless, it would be a long, peaceful life. The second vision showed me entering the cave. It showed me, completely healed from my wounds, more beautiful than I ever was. I would the queen of a castle, and dozens would bow before me.</p><p>I used whatever healing magic was left in my ring and my robe, and entered the cave. I didn’t want to be disfigured. I wondered what Molag Bal had in store for me inside. Could I trust him? Could he really heal my wounds?</p><p>I walked through the cave, and it was a long journey. Perhaps only I felt it long because I could barely stand on my feet. The cave led me to a Daedric shrine. I looked around, and I saw a magical barrier. The magical barrier surrounded the body of a young Dunmer maiden. I wasn’t sure whether she was asleep or dead.</p><p>I extended my arm, and the magical barrier disappeared. The Dunmer maiden opened her eyes, and addressed me:</p><p>– Release at last! The plan of my devious brother worked, after centuries, finally! – She attacked me. I wanted to raise my club, but I didn’t have the power anymore. She shoved me to the ground and bit my neck with her razor-sharp teeth. Before she turned to dust, she whispered into my ears, with satisfaction: – Ignorant and gullible hero. Galur Rithari’s curse upon you remains.</p><p>I was teleported out from the cave and collapsed immediately. A nightmare, or rather a vision tormented me: I was Galur Rithari, and it was revealed that many things in his book were lies. Molag Bal cured him of vampirism, but his sister, Galera Rithari had to pay the price: She had to bear his curse. Molag Bal locked her away in this shrine under Mournhold, and the magic prevented Galur Rithari from saving her. He paid for forsaking vampirism by condemning his sister to suffer, at least until somebody came to her rescue, who would take the curse from her, and give her death. Galur Rithari’s tale about the three vampires, who mutilated his sister was all a lie, in the hope that a gullible hero with a pure heart would come to rescue her one day.</p><p>My mind went blank after that vision. I felt that I must sleep. So I slept, and slept, down in the Temple Gardens of Old Mournhold.</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice thinks that they believed she died in Old Mournhold, and they buried her alive. An unnatural hunger. Finding that a Bosmer named Fargoth bought her home from House Redoran, and moved in. The realization that in Old Mournhold she was turned into a vampire, died, and woke up from death. Following rumors of a vampire called ‘Lord Irarak’ to help her survive and understand the meaning of being a vampire.</p>
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    <p>Another nightmare tormented me. I was a child, and I lived with my family in a pleasant, green region. Perhaps it was similar to the West Gash or the Ascadian Isles Region, or that lush, green valley near Molag Mar, where the Ashlander tribe lived. I was playing hide and seek with my friends, and I hid in the barn, which was obviously possessed by my parents in this dream. Soon, I noticed an awful stench: The stench of decaying corpses. I moved deeper into the barn, and I stumbled into the rotting corpses of people whom I perceived to be my unknown parents. A Nord man and a Dunmer woman. I tried to scream, but they rose from death and embraced me. The dream ended.</p><p>It was pitch dark. I felt the smell of soil. I tried to sit up, but I hit my head into something. I touched this something with my hand, and I could determine that it was something made out of stone. With my eyes being useless in this situation, I used my hands to determine what was around me, and it seemed that it was stone everywhere. I was in some kind of box made out of stone. I was trapped there. Was it another nightmare? I knew that if one realizes that it is only a dream, they wake up. But nothing happened. I was still there.</p><p>Panic took control over me, and I screamed, banging on the stone box with my fists. “Release me! Somebody! Help!” – I yelled. I noticed that the lid above me – or where I perceived above to be – slightly moved as I hit it with my fists. Perhaps that was my way out? I used both of my hands to push the lid off from me, but it didn’t help. It was too heavy for me to be able to push it off from me.</p><p>I cried, and cried, knowing that my situation was hopeless. I was destined to die in that stone box. I was in my Indoril armor, and the heat started to be intolerable, which was caused by me panicking and moving around tirelessly. I needed to calm down. I prayed to Almsivi. They couldn’t save me, being dead, but focusing my attention on the prayer helped me concentrate.</p><p>The stone lid slightly moved from my push previously, so I realized that I had a chance, if only I could use all of my strength. I cursed myself for never learning teleportation magic, which could get me out of that situation, but it didn’t matter anymore. I pulled my legs up and put my feet on the lid. I did the same with my palms. With the combined strength of my legs and my hands, I might have a chance. I collected my strength. “All right, Alice…” – I thougth. “1. 2… 3.” I pushed and pushed with all my power, and the lid moved. I collected my strength again, screaming from the pain, and I could finally push the lid off from myself. It drooped on the floor, or whatever was outside. Light entered my eyes, and I was free. I was lying there for a couple of seconds to collect myself, but I was eager to leave that trap. I sat up, and realized: It was the Imperial Crypt of Maar Gan! I left my trap and looked around. The crypt was brighter than usual, as if it had more lights. I saw that I was in the chamber where my mother was buried. I saw her sarcophagus. I looked at my trap and saw that it was another sarcophagus, next to hers. What?</p><p>I looked at the inscription of my sarcophagus, and it said what I feared it would say. “Elisamsi. 3E 409 – 3E 428. Ordinator in the service of Almsivi. Saved the city of Mournhold from the lich, Gedna Relvel, but died from her wounds. May she rest in peace.” Was this a joke? Did they bury me alive?</p><p>I couldn’t think about that for long, because next, an unnatural hunger took me over. I felt that I must eat, at all costs. I heard the squeaks of the rats in the crypt, which were present due to the fact that neither the Temple, nor the Imperial government, nor the House government cared about maintaining it. I approached one of the rats, and it was trembling from primal fear, like animals around me usually, but it was somehow amplified. It didn’t run away, just stood there, trembling, frozen from shock. I picked the rat up and dug my teeth into it. Its meat was sweet and bloody. I was munching on the raw meat, drinking every last drop of its blood, and I didn’t care that it was an indecent thing to do. I wanted more. I’ve never been that hungry, and that desperate to eat. I think that I have eaten eight rats – doing a huge favor for those who had loved ones buried in that crypt – and drank their sweet blood, before I was satisfied, and was able to think rationally after my frenzy.</p><p>I figured that if I left the crypt just like that, they would take me for a zombie or similar and burn me at the stake. I should leave secretly, and contact somebody I can trust who would explain the mistake that I was merely buried alive. Luckily, they buried me with my equipment, which not only included my Indoril armor, but also my enchanted items, such as my amulet, which made it possible for me to blend into my environment. I closed the lid of my sarcophagus, so that no one in the town, who enters the crypt, would start a panic among the citizens. After that, I went to the entrance of the crypt, rubbed my amulet, and opened the door. It was around midnight outside. I walked, or rather sneaked through the courtyard of the Temple, when I noticed that one of the Dunmer egg miners was talking with two of the guards. The egg miner was Shilipuran Zama-Rasour. He was a kind of sensation in our town in the last year. His wife, Assirari Zama-Rasour, threw him out from their common hut because he was drinking heavily. He moved to another hut on the other side of the town, and his drinking problem, naturally, only got worse. He was arguing with the two Redoran guards, and I overheard them:</p><p>– I swear to you! I went to the crypt to visit my poor mother’s grave, and I heard screaming and banging from the grave of Alice! I ran out as fast as I could!</p><p>– All right, you drunkard. Enough of your delusions. Go home, or you’ll spend the night in a cell! – One of the guards ordered him.</p><p>The miner did as he was asked, cursing under his nose, when the other guard addressed his colleague:</p><p>– Who the fuck is Alice anyway?</p><p>– One of those damned Ordinator zealots. Died three days ago. Good riddance, I’d say. Maybe I’ll go into that crypt and spit on her grave. Ha!</p><p>They were new guards, probably House Redoran recruited them recently. I didn’t get angry, but it was an excellent opportunity to witness what many Dunmer felt about the Ordinators, when they were free to speak. I was glad that they didn’t believe Shilipuran, as it would have meant that I needed to flee before I can make it clear that I was not a zombie, or similar. I decided that I would go home for now, and the next morning, speak with Tralas Rendas. I was sure that he would be overjoyed that I’m alive and we would have a good laugh at this whole matter. I walked through the town and arrived at my hut. I entered. Strangely, the door was open.</p><p>A short Bosmer, with their usual annoying voice, waited there for me, to my shock. He addressed me:</p><p>– Oh, hello! You could have knocked, you know…</p><p>I got infuriated with his polite manner, after entering my home without my permission. I immediately marched towards him and pushed him against the wall.</p><p>– Burglar! – I yelled. – How dare you, I’ll kill you! – I was panting from rage, and the burglar was gasping for air in my grasp.</p><p>– But… but… – he stuttered – I’m not a burglar. I bought this hut after the previous owner died.</p><p>Of course, I was dead. At least according to common belief. Without any heirs, House Redoran must have inherited my property.</p><p>– And who are you? – I asked, being calmed down.</p><p>– Fargoth, at your service, madame! – He offered, with an obnoxiously disgusting grin on his face.</p><p>– Well, Fargoth. This is my home, and you must leave. You may stay until the morning, but after that, go. Probably House Redoran would give your money back.</p><p>– Damn! – The Bosmer exclaimed, with a resigned tone, without any objections. – I moved from Seyda Neen, hoping that the guards wouldn’t bully me up here.</p><p>I took my helmet off, and I was ready to take the rest of my armor off as well and sleep until the morning, when I would clear up this misunderstanding. But in that moment, Fargoth, in a similar primal fear as animals, started to tremble before me.</p><p>– V… v… v…. – He stuttered.</p><p>– What? – I demanded with a strict voice, being annoyed by his stuttering. But as I yelled at him, he screamed, like someone in an agony. He dropped on the floor, and begged to me:</p><p>– Please don’t kill me, vampire. I’ll leave your home at once. Just let me gather my things. No! Keep them! I’ll just leave. Just let me live!</p><p>What did he call me? A vampire? How did he know about my half-vampire status? It was not visible, especially not for a citizen of Morrowind, where vampires, and the knowledge about vampires was almost unknown.</p><p>– How do you know? – I asked. – You are an outlander, and there might be more vampires in your land, but…</p><p>– Are you kidding me? It’s enough to look at you! – He told me.</p><p>I instinctively ran to the mirror to see it myself. I had a reflection, so that myth about vampires was untrue, as Galur Rithari also pointed it out in his book, when he looked at his reflection in his sword. I was somehow more beautiful than before. I didn’t have my round, childish face anymore, but looked more mature. A fully adult woman. Delicate and desirable. It seemed that my skin was not burned from the battle, and my hair didn’t fall out, the many scars I’ve received in my battles disappeared. All my wounds were healed. My teeth got even sharper. So much, that they could be seen if only I slightly opened my mouth. My eyes were red, just like before. There were ritual markings on my face, which was probably an Ashlander custom to give to the dead. So it was true, I was a vampire now. Not a half-vampire, but a real vampire.</p><p>I suddenly remembered the circumstances of my death. Galera Rithari bit me in the neck, before turning to ash. I remembered the vision that she would be trapped there forever, in undeath, until a foolish hero appeared to release her and take Galur Rithari’s curse upon herself. I was that foolish hero. I cursed Galur Rithari’s name, but I knew that it didn’t help. There was no escape. I couldn’t hope of a cure. Molag Bal tricked Galur Rithari too, when he trusted him for promising a cure. I was destined to serve Molag Bal. And maybe it wasn’t that bad. I could be immortal, or at least live longer than most people. I always feared death, and maybe I was free from this curse which plagued every living being since the beginning of times. I tried to remember Master Aryon’s lessons about vampirism to know what to expect. Since the blood of Galur (or Galera) Rithari ate my half-vampire blood up and replaced it, whatever is true for a real vampire would be true for me now. I wouldn’t be able to walk in the sunlight, as it would destroy me. I would need to drink blood to stay alive – or whatever I was. I wasn’t sure about that part yet, but for now, the rat blood seemed to satisfy my hunger. But I would be stronger than a mortal and resist a lot of their magic and most of the damage caused by their weapons.</p><p>As I was pondering that, I noticed in the reflection of my mirror that most of the items on my desk next to my bed were missing. I addressed the frightened Bosmer:</p><p>– What did you do with my things?</p><p>– I threw them out. And gave them away. Most of them. This is my home, not a cluttered warehouse! – He admitted, but then corrected himself: – I mean… sorry, please don’t hurt me, I didn’t know.</p><p>I ran to the secret container of my mother. I hoped that if the Temple didn’t find it, this obnoxious Bosmer wouldn’t either. I was right, luckily. The Mace of Molag Bal was still there. I attached it to my belt. If I was cursed to live the life of a vampire, shunned and hunted by everyone, I would need every help I could get. Whatever Molag Bal’s plans were for me, I couldn’t escape it anymore, anyway. I’d wield his mace and see what happens. But I knew that I needed to learn more about vampires, and I would need the company of fellow vampires to be more effective in survival, and under no circumstances any mortals could learn what happened with me. I wondered: What happened with Uvoo? Did she cry for me when I “died?” Did she love me? Would she, as a pious Temple priestess be one of those who would curse me, if she learned what happened with me?</p><p>– All right, Fargoth, listen. – I told him. – I don’t want anyone to suspect that I’m a vampire. So you’ll stay in my hut, and act like nothing happened.</p><p>– Of course, of course. – He promised.</p><p>– Any ideas where can I find fellow vampires?</p><p>– I’ve heard a rumor of a vampire called Lord Irarak. They say that he haunts ancestral tombs near Gnisis.</p><p>– Near Gnisis? Nothing more tangible? – I asked.</p><p>– Of course not. Otherwise, the guards would have killed him already, right?</p><p>I have spent the night awake, in spite of Fargoth being so eager to please me that I slept in my bed, and he slept on the floor, and I noticed a couple of things: Even though all the lights were turned off, as we were sleeping, I could see better in the dark than when I was a mortal. That night, I didn’t need to sleep at all, which was somehow logical as I could only go outside during the night. However, I did not become a nocturnal creature, I had spent the next day awake too, hiding in my hut, without any problems. I also didn’t need to eat, the blood yesterday was sufficient for now. I also noticed that, in fact, I was not breathing. For the first few hours after my transformation, I moved my chest constantly, which was probably an instinct left from my mortal life, but after a while, my body deemed it unnecessary, and it did not move anymore. Being dead made me stronger than ever, and gave me abilities that I could never even dream of acquiring as a mortal, not even with the most rigorous training.</p><p>When the sun went down again, I slipped out of Maar Gan, to seek out that Lord Irarak. I was afraid to be alone in this world, shunned and hunted by many mortals, and I hoped that he would teach me about being a vampire, and help me survive my first days. I could run at a faster pace than ever – no doubt, another benefit of vampirism – and I arrived at the vicinity of Gnisis that night. I looked into three or four ancestral tombs, but none of them had a vampire inside. My instincts told me that the burning rays of the sun would soon appear in the sky, and I should seek shelter. I also felt that unnatural hunger, and I knew that I would have to eat soon again. I entered one of the tombs, which had the “Ginith” inscription on its door. I didn’t know any members of the Ginith family, it must have been an extinct clan. Their tomb must have been a perfect hiding spot for a vampire. To my surprise, there weren’t ghosts or bonewalkers inside, but a Dunmer woman waited for me. She addressed me:</p><p>– Welcome to the coven of Lord Irarak, dark one. Who are you?</p><p>– My name is Elisamsi.</p><p>– Follow me, Elisasmi. I’m sure that the Master would be interested in meeting you.</p><p> </p><p>We descended deeper into the ancestral tomb, which was in fact not an ancestral tomb anymore, but rather a manor. There were 4 or 5 young people inside, all Dunmer. Some males and females. Some of them were having sex, right in front of everyone else! I blushed – or felt the way people felt who were alive and could blush – and quickly looked away. Others were drunk, and dancing. There was furniture inside, such as beds, closets, and chairs. And in the middle of the tomb, there was a throne, on which a vampire sat. The one I assumed to be Lord Irarak. The woman addressed him:</p><p>– Master, this is Lady Elisamsi. – She did a curtsy before the vampire and went away. Lord Irarak took a long glance at me, before he spoke, still sitting on his throne:</p><p>– Greetings, my dark friend. Welcome to the Coven of Lord Irarak. Tell me, did Volrina send you?</p><p>– No. – I replied.</p><p>– One day, I’ll have my revenge on Volrina! She told me that I was an accident and a weakling. Me! Lord Irarak! So I came here, to the tomb of my ancestors to start my own coven.</p><p>– Your own coven? – I asked. – Where are the other members of your coven?</p><p>– These are my minions. – He pointed at the Dunmer around. – They serve me as their Dark Master. Perhaps one day I will bestow upon them the gift of Life Eternal, but until then, they will be content to serve me obediently. They provide comfort for me, while I provide them with my presence.</p><p>– What do you mean by “provide comfort?” – I asked, taking a very quick glance at the couple having sex.</p><p>– They supply me with food, shelter, and… other material gains. They are my children, protecting me from those who would hunt our kind.</p><p>It was clear to me that this person was a buffoon. He disgraced the ashes of his ancestors by living in his family tomb, and being a weakling in the eyes of other vampires, he gathered a group of mortal followers who would worship him and believe his lies.</p><p>– I deem you worthy to become my queen. The fair Lady Irarak, loved and feared by everyone in my coven. – He told me. The very thought disgusted me, but I needed somebody to teach me about vampirism.</p><p>– I’m a new vampire, and I don’t know anything about it. Surely, you could find a more worthy queen. – I told him. It worked because he immediately offered what I wanted:</p><p>– Well, if you are going to be a good girl and provide me… material gains, I’ll teach you about your new powers, and help you survive: you may drink the blood of my minions.</p><p>– Do you want a queen or a whore? – I tried to protest.</p><p>– A queen shall always serve her king, Lady Irarak! – He exclaimed.</p><p>I shrugged. I wanted to have sex for a long time, and I wanted a lot of it. I even had sex with someone from my own gender, so I couldn’t get more immoral by Temple standards. And after all, I was dead. The rules of mortals didn’t apply to me anymore.</p><p>– Can we at least drop the ‘Lady Irarak’ name? – I asked.</p><p>– Fine. – He replied, and addressed the members of his “coven:” – Listen, everyone! I, Lord Irarak, announce that this woman is your queen from now on. Respect her as you would respect me. Lady Elisamsi! – She pointed at me with his two hands.</p><p>The members of the “coven” all bowed before me before they returned to their activities. My life – or whatever it was – turned upside down. I gained powers inconceivable, but death, the great equalizer, made me lose all of my wealth and status, and I was forced to become the plaything of that buffoon, at least temporarily, until I could learn my new powers, or find somebody else to help me.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice realizes that one of the thralls of ‘Lord Irarak’ is the daughter of Uvoo Llaren. Alice turns against ‘Lord Irarak’ to save her. Going to Druscashti, and meeting with the vampire named Kjeld. Petty revenge on Master Aryon. A meeting with Marara and the Llethri family.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Living in that “Lord Irarak’s” coven was a forgettable experience. I had to provide my body and my company to that buffoon in exchange for the right to live there and to learn about being a vampire, and the vampire world. Irarak’s minions offered their blood to me, but I could manage to survive by drinking the blood of the rats in the tomb and – during the night – outside of it. I knew that at one point, I would have to drink the blood of a human or an elf to satisfy my hunger, as I constantly felt hungry. My desire for blood was only soothed by rats, but never entirely satisfied. I noticed that with my vampirism, I gained the ability to feel the presence of animals and other living beings in my vicinity, without relying on any of my five senses. Clearly, the purpose of that ability was to make me a better predator.</p><p>“Lord Irarak” taught me to use some of the other powers that I gained as a vampire: Without having any knowledge of magic, I could levitate, if I wanted. With my turning, my physical looks also improved, and I had the ability to seduce most mortals and convince them to carry out my will. I realized that “Lord Irarak” must have used this ability too to enslave the mortal members of his coven, as I could not believe that anyone would have willingly served him. Irarak also warned me that I should not enter any holy places, such as Temples, as such places are protected against our kind magically, and I would die if I entered. I was familiar with the rest of the things Irarak told me: That animals would instinctively be afraid of me (rightfully now, that I needed their blood to survive), that being exposed to sunlight would kill me, and that I would be stronger and more powerful than any mortal, and almost impossible to kill by conventional means, especially at night, when I would be even stronger than at the day. I was resistant to diseases, damages caused by most weapons, and some forms of magic, such as paralysis magic. I didn’t need to breathe or sleep. However, should a blade, an arrow, or similar pierced through my heart, I would die instantly. While it was probably true for mortals too, crusaders and vampire hunters knew about this weakness of ours, and they would aim for my heart in combat specifically, therefore I must be careful, and protect myself with armor.</p><p>Even “Lord Irarak” couldn’t reply to my question about whether vampires were immortal or not. Only one thing was certain: We lived longer than mortals. I hoped that we lived forever. And also that we would not age either. Being immortal, and aging would be a worse fate than death.</p><p>I got acquainted with the mortal members of the “coven” too. They were all eager to serve me and Lord Irarak. I didn’t care about them that much until I had the opportunity to talk with one of them. She was a young Dunmer woman, about my age.</p><p>– I think we haven’t talked yet. Who are you? – I asked her.</p><p>– I am Thedere Llaren. At your service, Mistress. How may I please you?</p><p>Llaren. That name! I got curious, so I asked:</p><p>– Are you, by any chance, related to a certain Uvoo Llaren?</p><p>– Uvoo… Llaren? – She asked back, with hesitation. She put her fingers at her temple, as someone with a headache. – She’s my mother. I think. I don’t know, Mistress. – She told me.</p><p>I immediately realized that it must have been “Irarak’s” machination. He told me about the way vampires can seduce and charm mortals. I knew that he did the same with Uvoo’s daughter, who found him in her desperate situation. In the last few days, I have also mostly forgotten about my mortal life, (perhaps it was also “Irarak’s” machination?) but deep in my heart, I knew that I loved Uvoo, and that I could not allow this buffoon to do this with her daughter. If I had to become the whore of Molag Bal, who would carry his will out, and terrorize mortals, I would retain my right to one last righteous act. I approached “Irarak” and asked him:</p><p>– So, “Lord Irarak.” – I said this without any sarcasm in my voice. – Where is this Volrina located? I would love to meet her. – I told him. I knew that if I wanted to kill him and free his slaves, I would need new vampire allies for survival.</p><p>– She would destroy you. She hates vampires that became vampires accidentally, and not by her design. But I think that headquarters of the Quarra Clan are in a Dwemer ruin near Urshilaku territory now.</p><p>– Thank you. Now, I don’t need you anymore. Die! – I told him and drew the Mace of Molag Bal. I bashed his skull, and as he fell to the ground, I used one of the pikes of the mace to pierce through his heart. The mace channeled his strength into my body, and I became even more powerful than I was. It was both a horrible and a beautiful gift from the Daedra. Every time I killed somebody with it and condemned them to be tormented at Coldharbour forever, I would gain their strength and become more and more powerful.</p><p>I didn’t have a lot of time to ponder on that, as immediately, the minions of “Irarak” drew their weapons and were ready to jump at me. I didn’t want to hurt them, especially not Uvoo’s daughter, so I hissed at them, which made them all take a step back.</p><p>– I freed you, you fools! Get out of here! – I commanded them. After a few seconds, they all lowered their weapons, and it seemed that the spell of Irarak was broken with his death.</p><p>I turned to the girl to address her specifically:</p><p>– Your mother loves you and misses you. Go to Mournhold, and be with her.</p><p>I gathered my things, and left the tomb, leaving the confused minions behind. I hoped that they would have the ability to start a new life, without “Irarak,” especially the girl. I hoped that if Uvoo felt sad because of my death, at least she would be compensated somehow by the return of her daughter. I went over to the Ashlands, and entered Urshilaku territory. I didn’t feel frightened anymore, that the Urshilaku Ashlanders would attack me, if anything, at that point, they must have been afraid of me. I spotted the Dwemer ruin, and I realized that it was the same Dwemer ruin I saw when I hunted in the area and felt compelled to enter. It was certain that I made a good decision to resist this urge, as the vampires would have killed me if I dared to do that back then.</p><p>As I entered, a Khajit, wearing the bracers of a slave addressed me. Clearly, he was enslaved for his blood there. When I told him that my name was Elisamsi, he led me into a room in the Dwemer ruin. Inside, there was a Nord vampire, with purple eyes, and blonde hair. The Khajit told him who I was, and left the room. I put my hands on the mace on my side, in case it would come to a fight, but instead of attacking me, the Nord addressed me in an almost cordial manner:</p><p>– Welcome to Druscashti, New Blood. – He nodded. – I am Kjeld. In my life, I was a smith, and now I’m a smith for the Quarra Clan too. – He stared at me. He couldn’t look anywhere else for even a moment. I really felt uncomfortable with that.</p><p>– Thank you, Kjeld. – I told him.</p><p>– Volrina thinks that you are an accident, but our spies know that you were the one who killed Raxle Berne, who was one of our greatest rivals, and that foolish “Lord Irarak” too, who was just an annoyance, therefore we are not going to kill you.</p><p>He continued:</p><p>– Volrina instructed me to give you a reward for your service so far. But after that, you’ll have to leave Druscashti. You became a vampire by accident, after all, and it wasn’t Volrina’s wish. Your reward is in that chest. – He pointed at one of the Dwemer chests in the room.</p><p>I opened the chest, and I saw a set of armor inside. No doubt, it was made by Kjeld. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. The boots and the pants were made of leather, and they were black. It had steel bracers, and the leather cuirass was rather a tight corset, which gave excellent protection for my chest. It also had a red cloak, and an amulet, on which I recognized the symbol: It was connected to Molag Bal. It clearly fit a vampire better than my Indoril armor. I put my new items on, and I thought that I looked aesthetically pleasing in it.</p><p>The armor was somehow revealing, and perhaps provocative for a faithful of the Temple to see a young woman displaying herself like that. Yet at least the chest area was protected well by it, so I felt safe. I attached the Mace of Molag Bal on my side, and turned to Kjeld:</p><p>– Thank you for your gift. – I told him.</p><p>– It is the gift of Volrina. Everything here belongs to Volrina, including us. We are her children. If you have nowhere to go, you could try the Telvanni. They know a lot about vampires and are quite open-minded about us.</p><p>I thanked the vampire for his advice and left the Dwemer ruin. I went back to Maar Gan, to spend the day in my hut, protected from sunlight. Fargoth felt nervous that I returned, but at least less nervous than previously. Probably sooner or later he would realize that I wouldn’t harm him. The silt strider operator knew who I was in my life, so I went to Ald-ruhn on foot that evening. It seemed that most Dunmer there did not realize that a vampire was walking among them. Centuries of persecution by the Temple, and vampires living in secret, in underground ruins, made people forget most of their knowledge about them. Some of them still stared at me, which may have been caused by my revealing outfit, and my beauty, which was amplified by my turning. I used the service of the Mages’ Guild to teleport to Sadrith Mora.</p><p>In Sadrith Mora, I went over to the Telvanni Council House, to see if there was anyone who could help me. The “Mouths” in the Council were once again debating some topic about magic and did not care about my presence. After they had finished, one of them, – a Dunmer woman – signaled to me with her hand that I may approach. She addressed me:</p><p>– Remarkable. A vampire. In Morrowind. And still alive… so to speak. I’m Mouth Raven Omayn, the Mouth of Mistress Dratha. Don’t be surprised. We, Telvanni are not superstitious like the rest of Morrowind. We deal with your kind frequently, so of course, I can recognize a vampire when I see one.</p><p>– If you deal with vampires frequently, can you tell me where can I find some of my kind?</p><p>– Ah, a new vampire, aren’t you? Lost in the world. – She chuckled. – Yes, if you can complete a task for me. An Altmer named Rimintil poses a problem for Mistress Dratha. You will find him in the Central Tower of Tel Vos. Dispose of him and return to me.</p><p>– Tel Vos? I assume that he is a servant of Master Aryon then. If I can cause some inconvenience to Master Aryon by killing that Altmer, I shall do it. – I smiled. I realized that I came a long way from being reluctant to kill even in self-defense at Kogoruhn, as I accepted to assassinate a person whom I did not even know, just like that.</p><p>Raven Omayn was kind enough to teleport me to Tel Vos, with the boat service to Vos gone, due to the destruction of the settlement. I used my new power to levitate, and I entered the tower at the center.</p><p>I looked around, and I found an Altmer in Dwemer armor at the Dwemer museum of Aryon. I approached him. He addressed me:</p><p>– Hmmm…a vampire. Interesting. What is it you want?</p><p>– Are you Rimintil? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes.</p><p>– I want your death. – I told him and drew my mace. He fought well, but he was not a match for a vampire. His strength entered me, and it was one more soul sacrificed to Molag Bal for eternal torment at Coldharbour. It seemed that Molag Bal’s promise for me, that I would use this mace to bring strife and discord would be fulfilled, but I didn’t care at that point: While I could have never hoped to seriously harm a Telvanni Master, such as Master Aryon, I hoped that I could cause at least some inconvenience to him by killing one of his servants. It was sufficient revenge for how he treated me, and probably I could have never hoped for more.</p><p>I heard the steps of the Telvanni guards approaching, so I left the tower the way I came. I levitated out and disappeared in the dark night. I levitated over the bay, and arrived at Tel Mora, from where a ship took me back to Sadrith Mora. In Sadrith Mora, I approached Mouth Revan Omayn again.</p><p>– It’s done. Rimintil is dead. – I told her.</p><p>– Is he? How do I know that I can trust your word on that? – She asked.</p><p>I sighed.</p><p>– Do you want me to go back and cut his head off as proof? – I asked.</p><p>– No… – She replied. – That won’t be necessary. I believe you. Your kind has its uses, indeed. You have done well. – She told me, without saying anything else.</p><p>– Aren’t you forgetting something? – I asked.</p><p>– Oh yes, of course. I’ve heard that there’s a powerful vampire in the Drethan tomb on a tiny island to the southwest of Ald Daedroth. She’s slaughtered any mortals that have gone in the place. From what I’ve heard, she’s killed a number of your kind as well.</p><p>I left the Telvanni Council House, and rented a room in the tavern of Sadrith Mora, where I consulted the map and waited until nightfall. In contrast with my mortal life, when I would take the first ship in the morning, I took the last ship in the evening and arrived at the Imperial settlement of Dagon Fel, which was in the vicinity of Ald Daedroth. The levitation power that I acquired during my turning helped me to cross the waters to a nearby island, where the ancestral tomb was located. I pondered about the utility of magic, and how much more comfortable my mortal life would have been, if I bothered to learn at least some of the rudimentary spells.</p><p>Inside the tomb, there was indeed a vampire waiting for me. She was an Imperial woman. She addressed me, as I approached:</p><p>– Greetings, dark walker. What brings you to my home? Have you come to rid me of this unlife? – She asked me.</p><p>– What do you mean? – I asked.</p><p>– I have walked in darkness for many mortal lifetimes. I have watched kings rise and fall, empires expand and contract like a beating heart. I have no wish to continue with this existence. My only hope is to find one worthy enough to end my life.</p><p>I pondered her words. Was she… bored? Was that the greatest challenge that one should overcome as an immortal, or one with a prolonged lifetime? Would eventually one run out of things to do? No new challenges and goals, just a pointless existence. I listened carefully to what she had to say. She continued:</p><p>– I will not allow any mortal to cause my end. None but one of my own kind, another vampire, will be the one to end my life. Many mortals have tried, lured by the riches I have gathered throughout the years. Will you be the one, new blood? Will you end this life and claim my riches as your own? – She asked me.</p><p>– I will end your existence. – I replied. I tried to tell myself that this vampire was suffering from the burden of existence, but actually, I craved to gather the strength of yet another person through the Mace of Molag Bal, and the riches she allegedly had was yet another argument for doing it. I drew my mace and killed her. She didn’t offer any resistance. I noticed how generous I was with drawing my weapon and taking lives. I came a long way from that frightened girl, who felt guilty even for killing in self-defense back then. On the vampire’s corpse, I had found a sack with hundreds of gold and several gems inside, and an enchanted ring, which I put on immediately. It was an extremely powerful ring, which gave me the ability to reflect some of the magic cast on me back to the caster, allowed me to jump higher, and to resist even more of the damage caused by the weapons of mortals. With that ring, the Mace of Molag Bal, my vampirism, and of course my combat experience as an Ordinator, I was a force to reckon with. Thinking about all my power was an intoxicating experience. How much I developed from being that poor pilgrim from a backwater village!</p><p>However, with that vampire killed, I once again lost an opportunity to find a vampire company who would share their knowledge with me. I went back to Sadrith Mora, and from there, to Ald-ruhn. I noticed that hunger was tormenting me. I left Ald-ruhn to hunt for creatures, and satisfy my bloodlust with them, but it didn’t help anymore. It couldn’t even quell it. It was unbearable, and I understood that I had no other choice, but to drink the blood of a human or an elf, to end my suffering.</p><p>I was resolved to overcome my disgust and do it, for my own sake. After all, I had sent several mortals to death. It’s not like taking their blood beforehand would harm them more, right? Maybe I could find a thief or a pauper, or some other kind of scum, who wouldn’t be missed by anyone, drink their blood and go home to Maar Gan to figure out what to do next. But would it harm me? Would I sell my soul to Molag Bal irreversibly and without the opportunity of redemption by doing it?</p><p>I was walking down the street, looking for a suitable victim, when a Dunmer approached me.</p><p>– Hey you, vampire. – He addressed me, keeping his voice down. It was interesting that this particular Dunmer could recognize my vampirism. Probably he had some experience with our kind previously. – My Mistress, Fathasa Llethri, would like to meet with you at Llethri Manor. She is rich and can give you whatever you want.</p><p>The mer went away, and I decided that I would go to Llethri Manor. If this mer wanted my death, he would have just revealed me to the guards. I entered Skar, and found Llethri Manor inside. I told one of the servants that Fathasa Llethri wished to talk with me. The servant led me into her room and announced me.</p><p>Fathasa Llethri was beautiful. She made me remember Uvoo. On the surface, she was a proper Redoran noblewoman, talking and behaving in a very tempered manner, just like her. But I felt that underneath there were a lot of repressed desires and a wilder nature. Secrets to uncover.</p><p>– Greetings, Child Killer. I assume you have come here because of my son. – She told me. What? “Child Killer?” How insolent. I have never killed a child. But would I? I wasn’t sure. Maybe. However, the way she just called me that, without being afraid that I might get angry and tear her to pieces was impressive for me, and I felt that I wanted to dominate her. I wanted to make her one of my slaves like “Irarak” did with those poor people, and I wanted her to fulfill all of my lustful desires. She continued:</p><p>– He wishes to join you in your undead existence. He thinks this will give him the power and respect accorded him. Foolish boy. Maybe you can work with me, vampire. Show my son that your kind is not all-powerful. Convince him you have weaknesses. I have treasures even one of your kind must covet.</p><p>– I will attempt to convince your son. – I told her, and we left the room together. She led me into another room, where a Dunmer boy, a mere child, who was perhaps 15 or 16 years old, waited for me.</p><p>Fathasa explained it to her son that I will try to convince him that vampires were not that powerful, after which her son addressed me:</p><p>– Greetings, Dark One. I’m Sanvyn Llethri. What is that ring on your finger? – He asked me and pointed at my finger which had the ring of the vampire on it, whose life I had taken.</p><p>I showed the ring to him casually, and he exclaimed:</p><p>– That’s Marara’s Ring! Where did you get that? – He asked.</p><p>– I killed the vampire who owned it. – I admitted.</p><p>– Did you kill Marara? – He exclaimed. So that vampire’s name was Marara then. – I gave her my blood for the promise that she would turn me into a vampire one day. And you killed her? You must be an even more superior vampire than she was. I am yours. I submit myself to your will.</p><p>As soon as he said that, Fathasa Llethri snapped at me, with her voice filled with anger:</p><p>– You didn’t help at all! Get out of here, before I call the guards! – She exclaimed, protecting her son as vehemently as a female guar would protect her baby guar. I did as I was told, and left the manor. Perhaps I would have had the power to defeat the guards who would have come, but common sense finally defeated my lust for another killing spree and the power that I could acquire through the Mace, so I decided that I wouldn’t start another bloodshed.</p><p>I went home to Maar Gan, still hungry for blood. It became more and more intolerable for me, and I knew that sooner or later I would have to drink the blood of a human or an elf. I spent the next day at home, trying to figure out what to do next. Fargoth seemingly got used to my company, and he wasn’t nervous around me anymore.</p><p>Someone was knocking at my door.</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Meeting with Volrina Quarra and serving her. Meeting with Igna. Saving the young vampire named Morana from the Ministry of Truth, and having revenge on her former torturers. Yielding to the temptation of drinking blood.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a Nord, wearing a cloak, and hiding his face that way. In the darkness of the night, I could see the eyes of a predator. A Nord vampire. He entered my hut and removed his cloak, and I realized that it was Kjeld, the vampire from Druscashti, who gave me my armor. How did he know where I lived? Perhaps it was through the Quarra Clan’s network of spies that they allegedly had. As the vampire entered, Fargoth got nervous again, but Kjeld did not pay attention to him. Instead, he addressed me, as the door closed behind him:</p><p>– Volrina wishes to talk with you. – He announced, without giving any explanation. We went back to Druscashti together, where he led me to inside, in front of the vampire ancient. Volrina Quarra was an Imperial woman, who looked young, but was powerful. She seemed a great warrior, a real brute similar to how Galur Rithari depicted her. She was wearing glass armor and a Daedric claymore. However, as she spotted me, I felt that for a brief moment her facial expression was similar to that of a young lady, instead of a warrior. Someone who was naive and believed in ideas greater than herself. However, it took only one moment for her to snap out from that.</p><p>– You have his smell. How do you have his smell? – She asked.</p><p>– Whose smell? – I inquired.</p><p>– Galur Rithari’s, you fool. – She replied.</p><p>I told her the story of my turning, and how Galur Rithari tricked me into becoming a vampire, to redeem her sister. After that, she told me:</p><p>– I see. You are still an accident, and an abomination in my eyes, but you have killed Raxle Berne, and that fool Irarak. And as we’ve heard recently, Marara too. You are obviously talented and resourceful. Therefore, I consider adopting you into my clan.</p><p>– Adopting me?</p><p>– Yes, that’s what I said. If you can prove it to me that you’re worthy. – She told me. – Can you do that?</p><p>Instinctively, I showed the Mace of Molag Bal to her, to demonstrate that the lord of all vampires himself has chosen me to be his champion. Seeing that, Volrina only laughed, and told me:</p><p>– So, Little Mo gave his little toy to you. So what? He gives that away so freely that it’s not a surprise that you’ve got it. What would be the surprise is if you hadn’t got it.</p><p>The way she dismissed the achievement that I could please the dark prince, and how she mocked the Daedra as “Little Mo” was appealing to me. I liked how this ancient, and powerful vampire warrior could allow herself that. It made me think about the Nerevarine. Only the most powerful ones, like them, or Volrina could defy the gods. I craved that power. She continued:</p><p>– I was rather thinking about a test. Complete it, and I’ll welcome you as a member of my clan. A band of smugglers are setting themselves up not far to the north of here, in a cave. They have a lot of cargo, including slaves. Transport the slaves here to be used as cattle. – She told me.</p><p>– Yes, Mistress. – I told her and left. I traveled to the north, and I found a cave, near the coast. Even though there were several smugglers inside, they were not a match for a powerful vampire like me, especially because they didn’t have any training as crusaders or similar, to know how to fight against a vampire in an effective manner. Knowing that one year ago, even one of them could have defeated me and that now I could defeat them all without effort was satisfying. Their strength all entered me through the Mace of Molag Bal, and their souls were sent to Coldharbour for my lord to have fun with.</p><p>I collected some of the things that the smugglers had, such as some gems, magical scrolls, and gold. I had also found a bottle of Telvanni Bug Musk, and a set of exquisite clothes. I put all of these into my backpack. However, I could not find the slaves anywhere. After a few moments, I heard a woman, who was trying to suppress the sound of her weeping. She was hiding behind some of the crates, clearly hoping that I would leave and she could get away. She was wrong. I approached her, and told her:</p><p>– Come with me, cattle, or die where you stand!</p><p>– Yes, Muthsera… – she told me. She was a Breton woman, who was young but looked rather plain. I craved to drink blood, but I knew that I would need to repress this desire for a bit longer, as my admission into the Quarra Clan would depend on whether I could deliver this slave to Volrina or not. We left the cave together, and I brought the slave before Volrina Quarra. Seeing me with the slave, she addressed me:</p><p>– Good job. You have proven to me that you are not only a good warrior, but you are also intelligent enough to follow my orders to the letter. You are now a member of the Quarra Clan. You may stay at Druscashti, and use our services: You can trade with our merchants and our smith, and most importantly, you can drink the blood of our cattle. I don’t need your services right now, speak with Kjeld if you want a task. – She told me. I nodded and left her presence to meet with Kjeld.</p><p>On my way there, another vampire addressed me. She was a blonde Nord woman, in plain clothes.</p><p>– Excuse me, you are the new member of our clan, right? I’m Igna.</p><p>– Yes. – I told her.</p><p>– I feel the smell of Telvanni Bug Musk on you. Give it to me!</p><p>– Why would I give it to you? – I protested.</p><p>– Can’t you feel how terribly I smell? Please! The mortals won’t come near me.</p><p>– Are you sure that your smell is the reason? – I asked. Obviously, she had forgotten about the fact that she was a vampire.</p><p>– Of course! What else would be? It is so terrible that some of them even run away from me. Besides a few outlanders, only the local Dunmer seem to tolerate my presence, but I don’t care about them. – She told me. She referred to the fact that most Dunmer did not know a lot about vampires, as we were mostly unknown in their society.</p><p>I felt pity for that woman, as a woman myself. I knew what it was like to crave admiration. It seemed that Volrina left the members of her clan to their own devices, and no one has ever told this woman how a vampire can charm a mortal. I gave the Telvanni Bug Musk to her, along with the exquisite clothes I had found in the cave of the smugglers. She put them on and told me:</p><p>– Thank you so much! How lovely! I have not had such clothes for many years! I’m certain that mortals will look at me with envy now. Are you sure you don’t want them anymore?</p><p>– No, you clearly need them more than me. I’m Elisamsi, by the way. – I smiled. I left her presence before she could reply to me.</p><p>I went upstairs in the Dwemer ruin and approached Kjeld.</p><p>– Volrina told me that you would have a task for me. – I told him.</p><p>– A few days ago, Siri infected a young Nord woman with vampirism. – He replied. According to Galur Rithari’s book, Siri was one of the oldest members of the Quarra Clan, the one who turned right after Volrina Quarra, and Galur Rithari himself. I expected Siri to be the right hand of Volrina, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to meet her yet. – Find and escort her to Druscashti. Her name is Morana, and she was infected in Vivec, although we do not know where she is now. Your best bet is to travel to Vivec and visit the Mages Guild. Word of a vampire in Vivec is bound to spread fast, so I’m sure they’ll know something.</p><p>I accepted the task, and went over to Vivec City, traveling only at night. My hunger tormented me even more than previously, and I thought that perhaps I would be able to satisfy it in such a large city as Vivec, without anyone noticing. In the Mages’ Guild, one mage informed me that a vampire woman was recently captured by the Ordinators, and she was held in the Ministry of Truth. I bought two Scrolls of Divine Intervention from the Guild so that we may escape in a similar manner as when I broke into the Secret Library of Vivec. Even though entering an Imperial or a Temple shrine was supposed to harm me, as a vampire, last time, the Divine Intervention took me in front of the shrine in Ebonheart Castle, so I assumed that it would be safe to use it again.</p><p>I went over to the Temple canton. I knew that I would have no other choice but to sneak into the Ministry of Truth, if I wanted to free the vampire before she was executed. Being captured again would have been horrible, but I had the Mace of Molag Bal on my side, and the chameleon amulet, which may have increased my chances of getting away.</p><p>I used my power to levitate up to the Ministry of Truth, and the chameleon enchantment on my amulet to blend into my environment. I could sneak past the Ordinator guarding the door, and I could open the door with my ring. The utility of magic. I should really learn more of that in the future.</p><p>I sneaked through the corridors of the facility, and I noticed that it was enormous and that it had the ability to hold hundreds or even more prisoners at once. When I was imprisoned inside, they made sure to keep the properties of this place secret from me, as much as it was possible.</p><p>Soon, I came across a small room, which served as an office. At the desk, I noticed my old acquaintance, the Grand Inquisitor himself. He was talking with another one of the Ordinators: the jailer, who wanted to rape me! Fate, or perhaps Molag Bal himself arranged it in a way that they would be alone in that office. I knew that I could have my revenge for my torture and for the attempt to make love with me violently. The chameleon enchantment of my amulet wore off and I was revealed. I killed them and I felt happy, for I knew that eternal torment would be theirs in Coldharbour. A destiny fit for such a couple who earned a living by torturing others. Their strength entered me through the Mace and I had my revenge too. I assumed that Barelo would have had an easier time reforming the Temple now that I came back from the grave and beheaded the Ordinators for him. They would have been formidable foes if I was a mortal, but their pathetic weapons and magic were useless against a vampire. I remembered that we lost more than 20 Ordinators in a fight against Raxle Berne. How many of these pathetic worms could defeat me?</p><p>I knew that I must have alerted the guards of my presence with this fight, so I used my chameleon enchantment again to blend into the environment, and I continued my search through the facility. The Grand Inquisitor had a couple of keys on his corpse, I believed that it was a wise idea to take those with me. Soon, I came across the part of the facility, which contained hundreds of cells, for the various heretics and abominations, and criminals who were imprisoned there.</p><p>I looked around, and it seemed that there were several guards patrolling this part of the facility, and one of them – probably being in charge of this part – was sitting behind a desk. I sneaked behind him and saw that on his desk, there was a book, listing all the prisoners currently in the facility, with their cell included. I saw the name “Morana” and her cell number. I knew that I had to be quick, as one of the guards might sound the alarm soon, due to the death of the Grand Inquisitor. I entered Morana’s cell, using one of the keys that I picked up. It seemed that most of the cells must have had the same locks, as this key could open this particular cell, without trouble.</p><p>My chameleon enchantment wore off once again, as I closed the door behind me, and I appeared in front of Morana’s eyes.</p><p>– Vampire! No! No! LEAVE ME! – She exclaimed. I looked at her with disbelief. Would it be possible that this woman did not know about her vampirism? As I pondered on that, she started to laugh, and addressed me again:</p><p>– The look on your face! I am obviously a vampire too! Look at me! I’M A MONSTER! – She exclaimed, trying to imitate the voice of a scary Daedra. She continued:</p><p>– They will kill me. There’s nowhere I can go. – She added, with a resigned tone.</p><p>– Volrina Quarra, leader of the Quarra vampire clan, wants you to join us. I’m here to rescue you. Just read this scroll. – I told her and handed one of the Scrolls of Divine Intervention over to her. She read it, and I followed her example. Soon, we reunited at the courtyard of Castle Ebonheart.</p><p>We arrived at Maar Gan before sunrise. We had to spend the day inside my hut, to protect ourselves from the sun. Only there I had the opportunity to get acquainted with her. We formally introduced ourselves to each other, and I could study her appearance. She was beautiful, she had red hair, like many Nords, but purple eyes, similar to Kjeld’s.</p><p>– I’m hungry, Elisamsi. – She told me.</p><p>– Me too. – I replied.</p><p>– Can I drink from your cattle’s blood? – She pointed at Fargoth, who tried to remain invisible for us while we stayed there.</p><p>– He’s not my cattle. – I told her. In that moment, she approached the Bosmer, grabbed him, and started to drink his blood.</p><p>– I knew that it would come to this! – Fargoth said, with tears in his eyes, but without any attempt of resistance. He was grunting as the vampire sucked his blood. Poor, miserable, pathetic creature.</p><p>– Okay, that’s enough, Morana. – I told her. She released him, and Fargoth rubbed his neck, still producing sounds of displeasure. I turned towards the Bosmer:</p><p>– Sorry, Fargoth. – I was genuine. It must have been hard for him to become vampire food, just because he happened to buy the home of a person who came back from the grave.</p><p>– It’s quite all right, Elisamsi. – He smiled. I assumed that in the company of two vampires, he thought that he would make his situation worse by complaining too much about how he was treated.</p><p>We left my hut in the evening with Morana, and continued our journey towards Druscashti. At Foyada Bani-Dad, we came across a cave. I convinced Morana that we should enter before we go Druscashti because I was really hungry. If I had to drink the blood of an elf or a human to finally satisfy my hunger, it should be a smuggler or a bandit, or somebody, whose death would be beneficial for most people. We went inside, and it turned out that there were three smugglers inside. We could quickly kill two of them before the third one approached us.</p><p>He was a Dunmer male. The little worm tried to kill me with his measly, rusty iron dagger! Being a vampire, and wearing Marara’s ring, it couldn’t even scratch me. I could safely take my time and aim at the knees of the smuggler with the Mace of Molag Bal. I was striking at him with such strength, that the mace broke his kneecap. He fell and was screaming with agony. I could finally do it, and drink the blood of a mortal. I was reluctant for a moment, but then I realized that I needed it, unless I wanted to be tormented by hunger, and he was just a miserable smuggler anyway. I put my lips against his neck, plunged my teeth into his flesh, and started to suck the blood out. After a few minutes, he died from losing too much blood, and I noticed that my hunger was satisfied, and I did not feel being tormented by it anymore, perhaps for the first time since I turned.</p><p>– Elisamsi! The smugglers had slaves! – Morana told me after I drank the blood of the Dunmer.</p><p>I looked into a separate room inside the cave, which was blocked by a gate. The smuggler had a key in his pouch, which I took, and used to open the gate, and enter the room. There were six slaves inside, three Argonians, and three Khajit. Then I blacked out.</p><p>The next thing I remember was that I woke up, naked, with my head resting on the arm of Morana, who was lying next to me naked too. We were lying on one of the bedrolls used by the smugglers. I put my clothes on and went back into the room where they kept the slaves. I noticed that they were all dead.</p><p>Morana entered the room after me.</p><p>– What happened? – I demanded from her.</p><p>– You entered into a frenzy. It was so much fun!</p><p>– What?! – I asked.</p><p>– After you drank the blood of that smuggler, you snapped and drank all the slaves dry. It was so much fun watching how they begged for their lives. One Argonian wanted to keep his pathetic life so much that he was trying to run away. You were chasing him all around the cave, like a hunter. But you got him too in the end. You must be a powerful vampire, who has strong instincts.</p><p>– And why was I lying in your arms, naked?</p><p>– That’s the best part. As you were drinking the blood, you touched yourself… and started pleasing yourself. And when all of the slaves dropped dead, you approached me, and torn my armor off from me, and kissed me, without asking my permission.</p><p>– I did? – I asked. – I’m sorry… I don’t know what happened, I don’t remember.</p><p>– You pleased me with your mouth and your fingers. And I did the same with you. And then you bit my neck and started to drink my blood. After that, you offered your neck to me. So we took turns pleasing each other and drinking each other’s blood. It was crazy!</p><p>Strangely, as I listened to this tale, my animalistic side appealed to me. My hunger was satisfied after all, and I felt powerful, who can get whatever she wants. It was clear for me: Vampirism was the greatest blessing in my life, and I was grateful for it. The Legionnaire, Shardie, once told a tale to me about sheep and wolves. I started out as a sheep, and I became a sheepdog. Now, as a vampire, I walked among sheep like a wolf.</p><p>The only thing I felt bad about was that I did not remember the details of my vampire sex with Morana, with all that drinking of each other’s blood. But I knew that it was true, as I could feel the presence of a bite mark on my neck, and see one on hers too. I imagined it many times how it must have been: I saw it before my eyes that Morana was behind me, with her mouth on my neck. The sweet, warm breath caressed my skin. She would lick my neck and allow the warmth of her breath to be paired with the humidity of her saliva, until she plunged her teeth into my flesh, and started to suck the blood out from me, all while she was caressing me with one of her hands and pleasing me with the other – down there.</p><p>Frightening it was, that I was thinking about how vampires need to consume the life of others to remain alive. And sex itself – which was meant to bring new life into the world – was perhaps something unnatural for two walking corpses. But we did it, surrounded by the corpses of fallen smugglers and slaves.</p><p>After Morana told me the story, I kissed her again, and we did it again, right there, in that cave. And this time, I remembered it all. I was happy and satisfied. We left the cave at nightfall and continued to Druscashti. I was thinking about whether I could give life – that is, in the conventional manner, by being a mother- to a child, as a vampire. Then I remembered, that indeed, I was the child of a vampire too, even before Galur Rithari’s blood turned me into a real vampire, I was a half-vampire, with a mortal mother and a vampire father. I imagined a thought, which I would have found horrible as a mortal faithful of the Temple, but as a vampire, I believed that it was beautiful: That I would make love with all those strong Nords of the Quarra Clan and they would impregnate me one by one. And my spawn, my beautiful vampire children would terrorize the mortals, they would slaughter entire villages. Were those thoughts genuinely mine? I think that it was a price to pay for Molag Bal’s gifts. But I wasn’t horrified by it, I saw the beauty of that prospect.</p><p>We arrived at Druscashti, where I led Morana into the room of Kjeld. As we entered, Morana was shocked. I saw that tears were coming from her eyes, as she asked with a suppressed voice:</p><p>– Father?</p><p>– Yes, Morana, my dear. – Kjeld smiled. They embraced each other, and Morana was sobbing.</p><p>– I thought that you died.</p><p>– I did. – Kjeld explained.</p><p>It was a beautiful moment, which I didn’t want to interrupt. I felt jealous of Morana that she could reunite with a father whom she thought to be dead.</p><p>– That’s right, Elisamsi. Morana is my daughter. Would you give us some time alone? – Kjeld asked. – You can tell Volrina that Morana is here and that you escorted her here. I’m certain that she’ll be pleased.</p><p>I nodded and left the father and daughter together. I proceeded to approach my Mistress, Volrina Quarra.</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Volrina forces Alice to massacre the people at the Maar Gan shrine. The liberation of Anhaedra. Alice swears revenge. Kjeld reveals that he is Alice’s father and that Morana is her sister. Alice learns that her mother is actually alive, and she is held as cattle by the Aundae vampire Clan.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>– I escorted Morana here, Mistress. – I told Volrina Quarra.</p><p>– I am pleased. – She replied. – I will have to keep an eye on her and Kjeld. Morana is, in fact, his daughter, and I do not want my minions to become attached to one another. Who knows which of their lives I will throw away? I cannot allow them to become sentimental.</p><p>What a cruel mistress. For Volrina, we were all resources, whose goal was serving her and potentially sacrificing our lives to fulfill her desires and dreams. As I listened to her, I felt hatred towards her for a moment, but then that feeling was replaced by a feeling of envy. I wanted to be in her place. I toyed with the thought that I would be a vampire queen, and vampires from all three clans would bow before me. The living would fear my name. Such a sweet fantasy.</p><p>– I have a new task for you. – Volrina continued. – To… discourage the Temple from attacking us, I have need of one of my minions to go to Maar Gan. You will do nicely for this job.</p><p>– Tell me more. – I replied.</p><p>– There is a shrine in Maar Gan. I want everyone in it killed. No one must be left alive.</p><p>Her words came to me as a shock. She wanted me to kill everyone in the place where I had grown up, including the mer who raised me, Tralas Rendas, and my childhood friends. She must have noticed the shock that was displayed on my face, as I noticed that she slightly grinned as she looked at me.</p><p>– If I kill everyone there, wouldn’t the Temple want revenge for their death? It would encourage them to attack us. – I tried to convince her to abandon her plan.</p><p>– Listen to me, I do not owe you an explanation, do you understand? I want those fanatical fools destroyed. Don’t make me do it myself. – She threatened me.</p><p>It was obvious that I didn’t have a choice but to comply. The fate of the people at the Maar Gan shrine was decided already, and they were either killed by me on my own terms, or by Volrina, no doubt with a lot of pain involved. I wondered whether Volrina knew my connection with Tralas, and if the task was a challenge for me to prove my loyalty to her. After all, as she pointed it out minutes ago, she didn’t want us to be sentimental. She wanted us to be cold, cruel, and only loyal to her. I wanted revenge for what she made me do.</p><p>On my way to Maar Gan, I was thinking about the possibility that maybe I could at least convince Tralas to flee, and at least save his life this way. I arrived at the town and entered the shrine. As ‘Lord Irarak’ told me, being in a Temple would cause me physical pain, and indeed that was the case. I needed to be quick if I wanted to survive.</p><p>– The false gods are dead, and finally, finally, I’m free! – I heard the familiar hellish voice exclaiming. It was Anhaedra, the Dremora bound to the shrine by Lord Vivec – at least until Lord Vivec was alive.</p><p>With that, the Dremora drew his silver longsword and attacked some of the pilgrims. The Temple was prepared for such an event, that’s why they employed Breyns Othravel, the crusader at the shrine. His sole job was keeping Anhaedra in check.</p><p>The pilgrims fled, while the crusader and the Dremora tried to overpower each other. I drew my dagger too and killed one of the priests. With that commotion, the entire shrine was alerted. Garry and his sister, Sinia were there that day too. They were Redguards, outlanders, who worked at the shrine as caretakers, and assisted the priests with everyday matters. As outlanders, they probably never grasped the meaning of our religion, no matter how much they insisted that they were “fascinated” by the living gods. I gave them a quick death, making sure not to use the Mace of Molag Bal, because I didn’t want to condemn their souls to Coldharbour. Instead of that, I used my dagger, which I always kept with me, ever since I became an Ordinator. Breyns Othravel overpowered Anhaedra, and the Dremora collapsed to a pile of dust. At least now, with the death of Vivec, and the people of the Maar Gan shrine, he was free. I finished up what Anhaedra had started, and killed the crusader, in a relatively painless manner, without resorting to using the Mace as well.</p><p>Only Tralas remained in the shrine, everyone else was dead. He just stood there, next to the magic rock, without the intention to flee. The pain became less and less easy to tolerate so I needed to act quickly.</p><p>– Get out of here, mortal! – I snapped at him.</p><p>– I lived here all my life. I shall die here. – He replied. – I’ll fight you until my last breath, if I must, Alice.</p><p>I was surprised. How did he recognize me? I believed that my turning changed my appearance enough to pass as another person. Perhaps not in the eyes of the mer who knew me since the day I was born. After all, Morana too could recognize his father, Kjeld.</p><p>– Don’t be surprised. – He continued. – I knew that this would happen. I told your mother that you are destined to be evil and that you would cause harm and destruction to everyone. She didn’t listen to me. She paid with her life. But I hoped… hoped that I was wrong and there’s redemption for you.</p><p>I didn’t have time to demand an explanation for those words, as the pain tormented me, and I knew that the pilgrims who fled would alert the guards soon. I slit the throat of my friend, with tears in my eyes, used the chameleon enhancement of my amulet to blend into the environment, and fled from Maar Gan. I hoped that wherever my friend’s soul went after his death, was a pleasant place, or at least better than Coldharbour.</p><p>On my way back to Druscashti, I couldn’t stop thinking about my friend’s words. Did he know my vampiric heritage? And what did he mean by the fact that my mother paid with her life for not listening to him? The worst possible explanation of that sentence occurred to me: that perhaps my mother didn’t die giving me birth, but it was me who killed her. The way I had drunk the blood of all those slaves in that cave in a frenzy showed me what a young vampire is capable of. Maybe I drained my mother dry in her womb. I wasn’t sure whether such a thing was possible, but in that moment, I couldn’t find any better explanation for my friend’s words.</p><p>I arrived at Druscashti to talk with Volrina:</p><p>– It’s done. Everyone is dead at the Maar Gan shrine. – I told her.</p><p>– I’m pleased. – She replied. – Here’s your reward. – She told me, and casually handed over a couple of potions to me. So that was it: The price of the life of my friend, a couple of potions. To think that I had taken away everything from him… for that…</p><p>Only upon examining those potions closer did I realize that they were, in fact, not ordinary potions, but blood potions. The bottled blood of cattle. Well, at least such a thing would be essential for me to have.</p><p>Volrina continued talking:</p><p>– You are powerful as well as loyal. You have done several services for me. – She told me. – I have a proposition. Do me just one more favor, and I’ll make you my second-in-command. You have Galur Rithari’s blood, and his status in the Quarra Clan must be restored. He and Siri were my second-in-commands until Galur disappeared. Now, the old order of things must be restored.</p><p>– I assume that the task you have in mind would not be easy… – I offered.</p><p>She laughed.</p><p>– You are right. – She told me. – I want you to kill Dhaunayne Aundae, the leader of the Aundae Clan.</p><p>I remembered reading about the Aundae Clan in one of the heretical books of my mother. According to the book, there were three bloodlines of vampires in Vvardenfell: The Berne, who preferred stealth and ambush, the Quarra, who were warriors, and the Aundae, who were mages. I understood why Volrina wanted me to do this. With the death of Raxle Berne, only this Dhaunayne stood between her and leadership over all the vampires of Vvardenfell. The prospects of all the vampires united under one powerful vampire, instead of fighting against each other would have been terrible for mortals, who – at least in Vvardenfell – got accustomed to a life where one did not need to fear vampires, as the Temple banished them to underground strongholds and ruins, and they were too busy waging war against each other instead of mortals. Volrina continued:</p><p>– She lives in a tomb on an island to the northeast, too close to my home. Ever since the death of Raxle Berne, she is my greatest enemy. – She told me. The Aundae Clan was too close to Urshilaku territory. It must have been horrible being an Urshilaku, as they were surrounded by both the Quarra and the Aundae Clan, and only the Berne Clan was situated far away, down south, in the Molag Amur region. Perhaps being terrorized by vampires all the time was one of the reasons why so many former Urshilaku Ashlanders decided to start a new life in Maar Gan – along with other reasons, such the Blight, and the harsh life of an Ashlander nomad in general, with diseases, wild animal attacks, hunger and the rest.</p><p>I wasn’t sure whether I was ready for such a task. After all, when I killed Raxle Berne, I had the support of my fellow Ordinators and a group of vampire hunters. But would I be able to face Dhaunayne Aundae alone? I would have asked Volrina to come with me, but she made it clear, that in her eyes, all her vampire minions were mere assets who had to carry out her will. I was certain that I needed to prepare well for that battle, despite the ancient blood of Galur Rithari flowing in my veins, my training as an Ordinator, Marara’s Ring, and the Mace of Molag Bal.</p><p>I left Volrina and went upstairs. One of the cattle informed me there that Kjeld wished to talk with me. I approached his room. Inside, he waited for me along with Morana.</p><p>– I have some information to share with you. About your family. – He told me. Morana remained silent.</p><p>I waited for him to speak, but he didn’t say a word. It seemed that he struggled with saying whatever he wanted to say. Finally, Morana, with a huge grin on her face exclaimed:</p><p>– We are your family! He is your father and I am your sister… half-sister, that is.</p><p>– What?! – I asked, with a smile. I thought that it must have been some kind of a joke.</p><p>– She is right. – Kjeld confessed. – I’m sorry, Elisasmi. We wanted to keep you away from this with your mother. – He sighed.</p><p>– Tell me everything. – I told him. I couldn’t believe that I have finally found my father, and I was interested in what he had to say.</p><p>– In my mortal life, I was no one significant. A Nord smith. But skilled enough for Siri to notice me. In fact, I learned my craft at the Skyforge of Whiterun! – Again this ‘Siri’ person. She seemed to be a person of great importance, in spite of the fact that I had never met her, while I had met Volrina multiple times. Looking at the maps of Tamriel, I knew about Whiterun, but I had no idea what the ‘Skyforge’ was. Most likely a forge, that much was certain. – We left Skyrim with my family: My now-dead wife, and my daughter, Morana. We believed that there would be a lot of opportunities for a smith here, with the ebony mines opening up. The Imperials protecting the mines would need their weapons repaired, the miners would need miner’s picks. All was well until Siri turned me into a vampire to serve the Quarra Clan. The Quarra are great warriors, and they needed somebody to repair their equipment, as well as to craft them new ones. My family believed that I was dead, but I was reborn as a vampire, in which I did not find any pleasure.</p><p>He continued:</p><p>– For years, all I did was serving Volrina, repairing and crafting weapons and armor. Siri refused to turn my wife and Morana into vampires because Volrina does not like it if her minions are related to each other. But then fate had given me a second chance for happiness: I have met your mother. She was a cattle, formerly a Redoran, whom we enslaved for her blood. We have fallen in love, and she got pregnant with you.</p><p>I was overwhelmed by his words, but his tale did not end there:</p><p>– We knew that Volrina would want you destroyed, as she wants control over who becomes a member of her clan. So we left you in Maar Gan with that woman to raise you. I hope that you can forgive me. I did not abandon you because I wanted to, but because I wanted to keep you safe from Volrina. The only way to do that was to make it look like you were a regular mortal child, who has nothing to do with the Quarra Clan or us. I’ve been watching you. Sometimes I sneaked into Maar Gan to take a glimpse at you. And then one day, you appeared at Druscashti, as a vampire, and I knew that it was all in vain. I kept it a secret before you initially, because I feared that Volrina would tear you to pieces, if she knew about our relationship. However, after you first left, she was in a frenzy and demanded that we bring you back here because you have the smell of that old Dark Elf vampire she was so fond of. And as it turned out that you would be accepted into this Clan, Siri also agreed to turn my Morana into a vampire, as with one of my family members in the Clan already, it did not really matter anymore. I’m so happy. Finally, both of my beautiful daughters are here with me!</p><p>There was a lot of information in my father’s monologue that I had to process. First of all, I had found my father, after so many years. Secondly, it seemed that Morana was my half-sister, which under mortal circumstances may have been unsettling, considering what we had done in that smugglers’ cave. However, perhaps such rules did not bind the undead, who – due to their immortality, or at least prolonged life had a different perspective on things. But the most important thing was that my mother was not the one whom I believed her to be. My real mother was a cattle of the Quarra Clan, and the one whom I believed to be my mother was someone kind enough to adopt me before she died. In all of my life, I had been lied to!</p><p>– Where is my mother now? Is she alive? – I asked.</p><p>– Your mother prevented a war between the Quarra Clan and the Aundae Clan. Years ago, a vampire hunter entered our lair, and I have slain him. It turned out that he was the son of Dhaunayne Aundae, the leader of the Aundae Clan. That fool believed that his mother was killed by a vampire, and dedicated his life to hunting vampires. Even if she didn’t care about her son, Dhaunayne must have felt that it was a matter of honor, as she threatened Volrina with war, unless she paid reparations. And so she did. She gave your mother to her, knowing how I felt about her. Dhaunayne thought that it was sufficient, as the murderer of her son had to give up someone whom he loved. Volrina prevented a war with the Aundae Clan with this, and also severed my ties to somebody else than herself, forcing me to continue serving her with loyalty. I don’t know if your mother is alive. Perhaps yes, and she is still used by the Aundae for food. Perhaps she has been used up already.</p><p>I listened to what my father told me in silence. It was incredible that in all my life, I was an orphan without anyone loving me, and now I gained both a father and a sister and the hope of a mother too, as it was supposed to be since the beginning. I knew that even if I did not want to help Volrina, I still had to seek out this Dhaunayne Aundae, to rescue my mother, if she was still alive.</p><p>– What is – or was – my mother’s name? – I asked.</p><p>– Toranu Rothalnim. – My father told me, with a smile on his face as he said that name. It was clear that he really loved my mother, and felt regret that he had to abandon her.</p><p>I told my father and Morana that Volrina wanted me to kill Dhaunayne Aundae. I spent a couple of days with them teaching me several Nordic combat techniques that I could utilize against the Aundae Ancient. I also went out to clear out a nearby Daedric shrine. I killed the worshipers with the Mace of Molag Bal to make myself even stronger. I also made sure that I would not be hungry before I meet with Dhaunayne Aundae. I had drunk more than enough blood to be effective in combat. After all of these, I finally left Druscashti to find the lair of the Aundae Clan and to kill their leader, and hopefully free my mother as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alice kills the leader of the Aundae Clan, and saves her mother. A meeting with Siri, and an offer to overthrow Volrina together. Realizing that her mother is dying, and the idea to turn her into a vampire. Turning her mother, who feeds on Fargoth upon waking from death.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The lair of the Aundae Clan was an ancestral tomb to the northeast of Urshilaku territory, on an island. I entered and a cattle took me before Dhaunayne Aundae.</p><p>– I’ve heard about you, stranger. – She told me. – You are the one who killed Raxle Berne. You have done a great service to me. But you have Quarra blood, so you are my enemy. It’s a shame. I wish I had the opportunity to turn you. Leave, and I’ll let you live… for now.</p><p>– Volrina Quarra sent me to kill you. But I’ll leave if you’re willing to give me one of your slaves. – I replied.</p><p>– Don’t be so insolent! How could you kill me?</p><p>– I could kill Raxle Berne, you just told me. – I told her.</p><p>– Berne did not have the magical powers I do, he relied on stealth to claim his victims.</p><p>– Yet, you couldn’t kill him yourself.</p><p>– You have a point. But why would you want a slave? I’m sure that you are more than capable of capturing one yourself.</p><p>– I want a specific slave. – I answered. – Toranu Rothalmin.</p><p>– Why do you want that slave in particular? – She asked, and I realized the mistake that I’ve made by confessing that.</p><p>There was no point in lying anymore, so I told the truth:</p><p>– She is my mother. I want to free her.</p><p>– I see. – Dhaunayne replied, with a grin on her face. – If you can kill me, you can have her. If I kill you, I will finally have revenge on that bastard who killed my son. A child’s life for a child’s life.</p><p>Without waiting for me to reply, she began chanting some kind of spell under her nose. I immediately drew my mace and rushed at her, as I knew from my Ordinator training that in a combat scenario in which a warrior stands against a mage, the best thing is rushing at them and killing or at least wounding them before they finish casting their first spell. I managed to do so, but the moment my mace hit her skull, she finished casting her spell: It was a poison damage spell. However, I noticed that it got reflected from my body, back to the caster. It must have been Marara’s Ring which protected me.</p><p>I bashed the vampire’s skull again, while the poison continued wounding her. She realized that she could not harm me with her magic, so she drew her ebony shortsword and we engaged in combat that way. However, an unarmored mage – even if she was a vampire ancient – could not hope to prevail in combat against an Ordinator. Soon, she fell to the ground, and I saw the despair in her eyes as I used one of the spikes on the mace to kill her, by piercing through her heart.</p><p>The Aundae vampires in the ancestral tomb remained silent, no one dared to challenge me after I killed their leader. One of them approached me after about a minute and led me to a cage which the Aundae vampires built inside their lair to prevent their cattle from escaping.</p><p>– What will happen to us now? – The vampire asked me. – We’ve heard of Volrina Quarra, she is ruthless. And her Clan is full of Nords, they hate our kind. – She pointed out the fact that most of the Aundae Clan, including their leader, were Altmer.</p><p>I shrugged at the question of the terrified vampire. She opened the cage for me.</p><p>– Is there a Toranu Rothalmin here? – I asked from the slaves.</p><p>No one replied, because probably they were terrified too. I looked around. There were several slaves inside the cage. An Imperial, a Breton, and a Nord male, who must have been adventurers who tried their luck looting the Aundae lair. A Redguard, wearing a robe, seemingly a pilgrim or traveler, who probably got captured by Clan Aundae on the roads, in an unlucky night. There was one Dunmer inside, a female, whom I estimated to be around 50 years old.</p><p>– Are you Toranu Rothalmin? – I asked. She didn’t say a word to me.</p><p>I continued:</p><p>– I’m not here to hurt you. I’m Elisamsi. – I told her. I noticed that the woman was in a terrible shape. She must have been used as cattle for long years. The lack of sunlight and the constant loss of blood took a toll on her body. She looked almost dead, just like a vampire.</p><p>– Elisamsi? Really? – She asked, and burst into tears. – My little Elisamsi, what have they done with you? – She embraced me.</p><p>– Mother… finally… – I embraced her back and started crying too.</p><p>– I didn’t want this fate for you… I hoped that by leaving you in Maar Gan you could have the life I was deprived of… – She told me.</p><p>– It’s all right. – I replied. – Let’s get out of here…</p><p>She followed me out of the lair. I decided that the best place to bring her would by my hut in Maar Gan, as Volrina may have not liked the idea of bringing a mortal into her home, without the intention to consume them as food. I was happy that I could finally reunite with my mother, but I was worried about her health. I was resolved to use my knowledge in the art of healing to help her once we returned to Maar Gan.</p><p>The streets of Maar Gan were patrolled by Ordinators along with the Redoran guards. No doubt, their presence was a response to the massacre at the shrine. Later, I learned that they were training together, and their goal was clearing out every Daedric shrine, ruin and cave in the area to bring justice upon those responsible, and to prevent such an occurrence from happening again. However, it was all in vain. The shrine got deactivated with the death of Almsivi and the priests, and Anhaedra was nowhere to be found. It was impossible to complete the pilgrimage, and the shrine became nothing more than a building with a huge rock inside. We slipped into my hut with my mother, where Fargoth waited for us.</p><p>– Fargoth, this is my mother, Toranu. Mother, this is Fargoth… my friend, I think. – I introduced them to each other.</p><p>– Ah! A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady. – Fargoth told her, with his usual annoying Bosmer tone.</p><p>– Such a charming young mer! – My mother commented. – Is he your boyfriend? It’s all right, my dear, there is no shame being in love with an outlander…</p><p>– Mother! He’s not my boyfriend, just a friend.</p><p>– Oh? Then why is he living with you?</p><p>– I’m dead and had no one to inherit my property. So he bought it from House Redoran. – I explained the story to her.</p><p>– I see. Such a wonderful hut. You took good care of it. I loved staying here with my friend. Good old days. If only I could be young again… – She lamented. I cooked dinner to her and Fargoth, and I made sure that she would be well-fed. After that, I sent her to bed so that she could regain her strength. I spent the night with creating restore health, and restore strength potions so that she would be well again. I told Fargoth that I would leave the next evening and that he should give my mother those potions and take care of her, make sure that she sleeps and eats enough.</p><p> </p><p>She slept for almost all day, as her body tried to recover from years of torture by the Aundae vampires. But we could spend some time together when she was awake. She told me the story of her life, at least the part before I was born. It turned out that she and the one whom I believed to be my mother were two Urshilaku Ashlanders who left their tribe together to try their luck as Redoran retainers among the settled people. At one point they were tasked to clear an ancestral tomb out, which was occupied by vampires. My mother was captured, but my “mother” could escape. She spent her days believing that her friend was dead. Until one day she knocked at her door with a Nord vampire – my father – at her side, begging that she would take me in. I knew the rest of the story from my father and my own experience. The only question that remained was concerning the circumstances of the death of the woman who took me in.</p><p>That evening, I left my hut and returned to Druscashti to talk with Volrina.</p><p>– Dhaunayne Aundae is dead. – I told her.</p><p>– Excellent. With her death, the Aundae clan also dies soon. As promised, I name you my second-in-command now. My dream has been fulfilled. Both the Berne and the Aundae Clan is finished, and I even got a portion of my Galur back in your person.</p><p>– Do you have a new task for me? – I asked.</p><p>– I think you have earned a rest. But you could ask Siri. She came back. She is upstairs.</p><p>I left Volrina and went upstairs. I had found a beautiful Nord woman there. She was blonde, just like me. She was a fierce warrior, who had a full set of ebony armor and an ebony mace on her side. She made me think about those shield-maidens from Nordic tales and songs that I had the opportunity to read about once.</p><p>– Are you Siri? – I asked.</p><p>– Yes. – She replied.</p><p>– I’ve heard much about you.</p><p>– Nothing bad, I hope, Elisamsi.</p><p>– You are Volrina’s right-hand woman, right?</p><p>– Ha! I am the third member of the Quarra clan – that is, I was third to be infected. Now I am second, as he who was second infected is dead. It has been a long time – I have lived longer than many elves do. Which is quite impressive, don’t you think?</p><p>– I think so. – I shrugged.</p><p>– But now, you and I are both ranked as second under Volrina Quarra. But is second enough for you? Perhaps it is time to consider… becoming first.</p><p>– What do you mean? – I asked.</p><p>– We should kill Volrina Quarra. Then, we will both rule this clan together.</p><p>– Together? I killed Raxle Berne and Dhaunayne Aundae. If I wanted to take Volrina’s place, why would I share it with you?</p><p>– You are a powerful vampire, but you will need me because I am a long-standing member of this clan, unlike yourself. You will need my experience and the respect I have gained from the other clan members.</p><p>– And how do I know that I can trust you? If this is not merely a trick to discredit me in the eyes of Volrina?</p><p>– We have a long life ahead, and I do not intend to spend forever as a mere second.</p><p>– Forever?</p><p>– Of course. Forever. Vampires live forever.</p><p>– I’m not certain of that. – I confessed. – I’ll think about it.</p><p>– Good. Let me know when you’re ready. – She replied, emphasizing the word “when,” as if it was taken for granted that I already accepted her proposition.</p><p>With that, I left Druscashti. However, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to turn against Volrina. I wanted to have revenge on her for making me slaughter everyone in Maar Gan, and I also craved to be in her place, however, I couldn’t have been sure whether Siri really wanted us to overthrow her, or if it was only a trap so that I could be discredited for my treason, and she alone could be Volrina’s right hand. Perhaps she really wanted to overthrow Volrina, she just didn’t have the means to do it without a powerful vampire, such as the one who inherited Galur Rithari’s powers, on her side.</p><p>I went back to Maar Gan, where Fargoth waited for me. He was nervous as I entered, and told me:</p><p>– Your mother is very weak… your potions didn’t help. She is in bed all day and spends most of her time sleeping.</p><p>– Thank you for taking care of her, Fargoth. – I told him and entered my bedroom, where my mother was lying in my bed. She was awake, but her weakness was visible. In fact, she was dying.</p><p>– Mother… – I whispered, with tears in my eyes.</p><p>– It’s all right, my dear. – She struggled to tell me. – I’ll die as a free woman, not as a cattle. I had the chance to meet my daughter, and I can spend my last days in my old friend’s hut. And in the company of such a handsome Bosmer too! What else could I wish from life?</p><p>– But I’ve just met you. I don’t want to lose you again. – I came closer and sat down on her bed. I struggled not to cry until I couldn’t. I embraced my mother.</p><p>I lay next to her, and put my head on her chest, and I cried. She embraced me and tried to comfort me. It was a peaceful moment, one I always desired. If only I had a mother as a child, who could have comforted me when I was afraid of the terrible sounds of the ash storm. My mother had fallen asleep again, so I left her room. I sat down at the table in the kitchen. Fargoth approached me:</p><p>– I don’t want to interfere with your business, but maybe you could turn her into a vampire? – He offered.</p><p>– What?! – I asked.</p><p>– Your mother is dying. To prevent that, you could turn her into a vampire.</p><p>– Fargoth, you’re a genius! – I exclaimed. Indeed, the solution was so simple, and it occurred to him sooner than to me.</p><p>– Why, thank you. – He replied. – Tell that to Hrisskar…</p><p>– Hrisskar? Who’s that? – I asked.</p><p>– One of the guards in Seyda Neen who bullied me. He told me that I’m a stupid ‘Tree Elf!’ The correct term is ‘Wood Elf’ but we prefer ‘Bosmer.’ He was the main reason I moved up here.</p><p>– I see. But let’s concentrate now. How could I turn her into a vampire? No one has ever told me how to do such a thing.</p><p>– Well, how do other vampires achieve that? – He asked.</p><p>I was thinking about how Galera Rithari gave her – or rather her brother’s – vampirism to me. I remembered that she bit my neck. Therefore I concluded that catching vampirism must be connected to biting.</p><p>– I guess by biting a mortal. – I replied. – But I have bit mortals before, and none of them turned into a vampire. There must be something else.</p><p>– It’s a disease, isn’t it? – He offered.</p><p>– Still, my mother has been a cattle for years, and she never caught it, even though she was bit regularly.</p><p>– Maybe it’s a poison then? – Fargoth shrugged.</p><p>Fargoth’s words made me remember that time when I had to run away from alit. If they bit me, and I survived somehow, I would have needed a healer immediately, because alit are venomous. A hunter in Maar Gan once explained to me how alit store their venom in the glands of their mouth, and how they inject it into their victims upon biting them. Perhaps a vampire had a similar gland?</p><p>– It’s worth a try. – I told Fargoth, after I was done thinking about the possible method. – But still, as a healer, I learned that even if I cannot help, I should not harm. So I won’t experiment with my mother. I would need a test subject first…</p><p>– Wait, what? – Fargoth protested. – What is worth a try? What are you talking about? And why are you looking at me?</p><p>– Vampirism works like the venom of a venomous animal. I need a test subject first, I don’t want to possibly harm my mother.</p><p>– No, you can’t be serious, Elisamsi. I reject this! Look, if you want a test subject, there was a smuggler cave near Seyda Neen, experiment with the scum there. The guards never took care of them. – Fargoth told me. – They must have been bribed.</p><p>– Seyda Neen has awful guards, I see. All right, I’ll try that.</p><p>– The cave is near the silt strider port. – Fargoth informed me.</p><p>It seemed to be a perfect plan. Even if the experiment failed, and the test subject died, one of those smugglers wouldn’t be missed by anyone. I took the silt strider to Ald-ruhn, from where I took the Mages’ Guild’s teleportation service to Balmora to spare some time, and then again the silt strider to Seyda Neen. I made sure to only travel in the evening and the early morning before the sun rose.</p><p>I arrived at Seyda Neen, which was similar to any unremarkable Imperial village. The number of outlanders was higher than anywhere else, as Seyda Neen served as an entry point of Vvardenfell. Merchants, travelers, and even immigrants passed through the village, especially now that the Blight was gone, and the conquest of Red Mountain provided new opportunities for newcomers. However, my goal was not the settlement itself, but the cave near the silt strider port. I entered.</p><p>Inside, a Dunmer woman was waiting for me. As soon as she spotted me, she drew her pathetic chitin dagger. “You n’wah!” – she exclaimed and attacked me. Naturally, her weapon couldn’t even scratch an undead foe. I could have crushed her bones with the Mace of Molag Bal easily, but I needed her alive. I used my fists to punch her multiple times.</p><p>She staggered, and I grabbed her by her shirt. She was a typical smuggler. Simple and dirty. I got disgusted by the thought, but I needed to act quickly, to save my mother. If I turned this smuggler into a vampire right there, I would have needed to drag her corpse back to Maar Gan, which would have been suspicious. I needed her to agree to follow me first. I used her moment of confusion and bit her neck. The sweet blood started to flow into my mouth, and I drank it with thirst. I almost got carried away, and killed her, when I realized that I needed her to save my mother. I took control over myself and stopped drinking.</p><p>– Now, follow me. – I commanded her.</p><p>– Whatever you desire, Mistress. Please don’t hurt me. – She replied. ‘Lord Irarak’ was right. As a vampire, I can charm and seduce mortals. After I tasted her blood, she was eager to please me. We returned to Maar Gan together. As we entered my hut, I remember that a Redoran guard – one of the newly recruited ones – remarked to one of his comrades silently: “This Fargoth is a surely a lucky guy, isn’t he? First that blonde Dunmer, then the Nord, then the older Dunmer, and now her. Women love that bastard.”</p><p>We entered my hut, and I closed the door behind us. I grabbed the smuggler and bit her neck again. I drank only so much blood of hers that I felt I could replace with my venom – if I had any. I concentrated, and I tried squeezing something out from my salivary gland. A moment later, she moaned and collapsed on the floor. Seemingly, she was dead. Her body immediately became rigid, her face pale, and it seemed that she did not have a pulse.</p><p>– Now, we need to wait three days to see if she wakes up. – I told Fargoth.</p><p>– Oh, come on now, really! Are you going to keep a corpse in my home? What is too much is too much! – He complained.</p><p>– It’s my home! – I told him. – Look, I’m grateful for this. Please, just do this much for me. You don’t need to look at her, I’ll cover her with a blanket.</p><p>– Great, that really helps. – Fargoth replied. I think that for the first time, he allowed himself to address me in a sarcastic tone.</p><p>We spent the next three days together, with Fargoth, my mother, and the smuggler’s corpse. I spent most of my time taking care of the needs of my mother and making sure that she was all right. She got worse, and my knowledge as a healer did not help. Luckily, at least the corpse didn’t start to dissolve. There was yet hope that I could save my mother. After three days, at midnight, what I hoped had happened: The smuggler woke up from death. However, as a vampire, she was not under my charms anymore and was not compelled to serve me. I anticipated that she would turn against me, which she did.</p><p>– You n’wah! You turned me into a monster against my will! I’ll kill you.</p><p>– Whether you live or die, matters little to me. What I have done to you was a means towards an end greater than you. You can attack me, and I’ll destroy you. I have killed far greater vampires than you. Or you can leave and do whatever you want with the gift you’ve got.</p><p>She attacked me. It suited me fine. The Mace of Molag Bal claimed her quickly. Yet another soul for my lord. Under the disguise of the darkness of the night, I carried her corpse out to the Ashlands for the wild animals to claim. She didn’t matter. What mattered was my mother. I entered her room. She was in a terrible shape, and I did not have any time to lose. I sat next to her bed, and I caressed her head. The method for saving her life worked, and that was the most important. It occurred to me that she would get angry at me, like the smuggler, and that she might not want the gift, but I could live with her anger, as long as she was alive.</p><p>– Mother, this will hurt a little, but it will help you… – I whispered, and as gently as possible, I bit her neck. I held her hand, to give some comfort against the pain. She grasped my hand, it was a painful experience for her. I took only a little blood and replaced it with the venom. She died immediately, her face got pale and her body rigid, just like in the case of the smuggler.</p><p>The next three days were horrible for me. I knew that the cure must work, as it was proven, still I couldn’t help but think about the possible ways it could kill her. After three days, she opened her eyes, and that was the greatest relief in my life. I was overjoyed that she woke up as a vampire and it meant that we could spend the rest of our lives together.</p><p>– Elisamsi… – She told me. – I feel better…</p><p>– Yes, mother. You are cured.</p><p>– I’m hungry, dear. Very, very hungry.</p><p>– That’s natural. – I turned to Fargoth. – Fargoth, can my mother drink from your blood, just once?</p><p>– I suppose that’s all right with me! Just once, for the sake of our friendship. – Fargoth replied.</p><p>– Wait… do you mean? – My mother asked in disbelief.</p><p>– I’m sorry, this was the only way I could save you. – I confessed.</p><p>– You shouldn’t have. My soul belongs to Almsivi. That thought was my only comfort when I was enslaved. I won’t be Molag Bal’s whore!</p><p>– Almsivi is dead. Perhaps it is our family’s destiny to be Molag Bal’s… servants. – I replied. – Just eat now. My mother bit Fargoth’s neck and started to drink his blood. I had to stop her, as she, similarly to other young vampires, couldn’t control herself.</p><p>When she finished, I continued:</p><p>– Don’t look at this as a curse. This is the greatest gift I’ve received in my life. You’ll see. You have gained unnatural abilities and a life long enough to make up for the lost time as a cattle. And to make up for the time that we could have spent together as mother and daughter. To Oblivion with Almsivi!</p><p>Suddenly I remembered Volrina’s insistence of having control over who turns into a vampire of her bloodline and how disgusted she was by the thought that vampires would get attached to each other. I knew that we weren’t safe yet, as Volrina’s existence may still have threatened my mother’s life. Something must have been done with Volrina.</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice and Siri overthrow Volrina and assume leadership over the Quarra Clan. A meeting with an Altmer noblemer, and making him a vampire thrall. Forcing him to hand over his castle to Alice. Learning that the castle is cursed, and its original owner – the necromancer and servant of Molag Bal, Yorick – has awakened. The inability of Alice to defeat Yorick, and Molag Bal’s help.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I went back to Druscashti, intending to kill Volrina Quarra, and usurp her throne and become the vampire queen along with Siri. There were several reasons for doing this: First of all, I wanted to have revenge on her for making me slaughter my friends in Maar Gan. Secondly, I needed to do this for the safety of my family: Volrina notoriously hated “accidents” – people who turned into vampires accidentally, without being planned by her. But I have to admit, the main reason for doing this was because I coveted her status. I wanted to be the one dictating the terms finally, and not a servant of other people, as I always was in my life and my unlife.</p><p>– I am ready. Let’s kill her. – I told Siri.</p><p>– What? Now? – She asked, with a faint smile on her face.</p><p>– Yes, damn it. Let’s do it.</p><p>– All right. – She replied, and we went downstairs to face Volrina. We didn’t say a word to each other. It’s not a fictional story, where the villain delivers a long speech before she attacks the heroine. And besides, we didn’t want to give her time to prepare. She put up quite a fight, after all, she was a better warrior than the ancients of any of the two other clans.</p><p>We prevailed in the end, in this battle between three women for power. Volrina’s strength entered me through the Mace of Molag Bal, and her soul was delivered to Coldharbour for my Lord. I used the spike on the mace to pierce through her heart. She was lying on the floor, and none of the other vampires dared to intervene. Clan Quarra… or rather Clan Rithari was ours. The death of the two other ancients, meant that I… we ruled over all the vampires of Vvardenfell.</p><p>– She is dead. – Siri said the obvious. – We are now the rulers of the Quarra Clan, both of us are Ancients. With your supreme skills, and my experience we will do as we please in this land.</p><p>– I’ll pray for Lord Molag Bal’s guidance. – I told her. – Tell the vampires to assemble here in an hour.</p><p>Druscashti had a statue to Molag Bal erected in one of the rooms. It was rather a small statuette put on a pedestal than one of those huge statues at Daedric shrines. I approached it and knelt before it. A moment later, the statuette started to glow from hellish red flames, making my Lord worthy of his name – ‘Molag.’</p><p>“You have done well, little bloodsucker whore.” – The voice of Molag Bal told me. – “Now, I’ll grant you a vision of the future.”</p><p>A vision entered my mind. It showed Ordinators and the Redoran marching to Druscashti, and a battle. And then it showed me a castle off the coast of Vvardenfell, and the face of an Altmer in the town of Gnisis. The vision faded, but before I lost my chance to do so, I started begging to Molag Bal:</p><p>– Please, my Lord. Grant me but one vision. Of her. – I struggled to hold my tears back. – And I’ll do everything to please you.</p><p>To my surprise, instead of being scolded for my weakness, I was granted a new vision. I was in Uvoo Llaren’s manor at Mournhold. She was waving a pathetic chitin dagger at me, cursing me in the name of Almsivi, and calling me an abomination. Her daughter was there too, and she tried calming her and telling her that I was the good vampire who saved her, but Uvoo wouldn’t listen to her. Then this vision faded too. Perhaps the vision was a lie, or it did not tell the whole truth, considering that it was from Molag Bal. But I was certain that I did not want to test it. I’d rather remain in her memory like that young girl whom she loved and who died tragically.</p><p>The vampires assembled in Druscashti, in the room where we killed Volrina. Among them was my father, Kjeld, and my sister, Morana. Igna and Siri, the only ones in the Clan I could call friends, or something similar. The rest didn’t know me yet. They had all waited for me to speak.</p><p>– My name is Alice. I killed Volrina Quarra. – I told the crowd of vampires. – And some of you may have heard that I killed the ancients of the two other clans as well. Am I simply a powerful vampire? Not at all. – I drew the Mace and showed it to them. I continued:</p><p>– This is the Mace of Molag Bal. I am the chosen of Molag Bal, the lord of all vampires. So I ask you to listen to me. – There were whispers in the crowd. I had waited a few seconds before I continued talking:</p><p>– We are immortals. Wolves among sheep. We are mighty and powerful. Yet, we live in underground ruins and fight with each other. Wouldn’t we deserve to live like royalty and have the mortals tremble from fear, instead of being terrified by their fire and weapons? We should live in castles and the mortals should be our slaves. The current state of beings presents us with a unique opportunity to ascend to greatness. The three vampire ancients are dead. They were short-sighted and made us fight each other, instead of uniting against the mortals.</p><p>I continued:</p><p>– I used to be one of those mortals who cruelly hunted vampires. An Ordinator. And I saw it with my own eyes what you have only heard as rumors: The days of Almsivi are over. The Sixth House is destroyed, Almsivi is dead, and the foolish mortals in the Temple kill each other over which stupid doctrine should be followed. I was next to the Nerevarine when all of these happened. And the Nerevarine themselves told me that the days of the Empire are numbered too. It will collapse soon, and then the Great Houses of Morrowind will be at each other’s throats for control over the country and its resources. And in that moment, we come out from the shadows and take over. This is what I… what we propose to you. – I nodded at Siri.</p><p>The crowd started chanting our names and cheering.</p><p>– Quite impressive. – Siri commented.</p><p>– I want you to seek out the vampires of Vvardenfell. Invite them all here, regardless of bloodline. Let’s gather an army of vampires. There is no Clan Quarra, Berne, and Aundae anymore. There is only Clan Rithari.</p><p>The crowd chanted “Clan Rithari.”</p><p>– Until that, I’ll look for a more suitable home for us. Enough of this loud, dusty Dwemer ruin. Clan Rithari deserves a castle!</p><p>When the crowd dispersed, I exchanged a few private words with Siri:</p><p>– The vision from Lord Molag Bal showed me that the Redoran and the Ordinators would attack this place. We’ll move away, the vision showed me a suitable location. There, we’ll live in luxury until the day comes for us to take over. From those new vampires that the others invite here, I only want the strong to join us. They’ll move over to our new castle with us. The weaklings stay here, and the mortals will destroy them, thinking that they defeated those who have committed the massacre at Maar Gan.</p><p>– Ha! Sneaky plan. I like it. – Siri told me.</p><p>– Could you make it happen? – I asked.</p><p>– Of course I can. I have deceived many vampires throughout the centuries… Queen Alice.</p><p>– Good… Queen Siri.</p><p>– Just get us that new home. – She concluded the conversation. I went over to Gnisis the next evening, to find out more about that Altmer who was the key to that castle, off to the coast, according to Molag Bal’s vision. I had learned from one of the locals that the Altmer trader named Kardryar was in town, and he owned the castle off the coast and that for some reason he wished to sell it. It sounded excellent, although I didn’t want to buy the castle, I had another idea. I went to the marketplace, where I saw an Altmer, browsing items. I pretended browsing items myself, looking as desirable as possible, and of course, the Altmer could not resist approaching me:</p><p>– My lady, may I ask what is such an exceptional beauty doing in the marketplace of this poor town? Someone like you would rather fit the marketplace of Mournhold, or even the Imperial City!</p><p>– You are right about that. – I told him. – But I’m on an important business here. I’ve heard that the Altmer named Kardryar wishes to sell his castle. I want to buy it. Do you know him?</p><p>– Why, my lady. I am Kardryar. And who do I have the fortune to meet?</p><p>– Muthsera Elisamsi, from House Indoril.</p><p>– A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady. – He told me and kissed my hand. – I rent chambers at the Madach Tradehouse so that I could be in Gnisis, in case a potential buyer appears. Shall we go over there? I’d invite you to a glass of Alto wine, and we could talk the details over.</p><p>– I never drink… wine. – I told him. – But I’d gladly accompany you to your chambers. I might have a surprise there for you…</p><p>– I like surprises. – The Altmer replied.</p><p>We went over to the Madach Tradehouse. I thought that the Altmer did not believe a word of me being an Indoril noblewoman – even though it was true, at least while I was alive. After all, I acted like a common wench in front of him, who pretended to be a noblewoman and a potential buyer of his castle only to get close to him. As the door of his room closed behind us, I did not hesitate. I immediately kissed him, and he kissed back. I started to move my mouth towards his neck, and I kissed it. My breath and my tongue caressed the Altmer’s neck, and he was moaning from pleasure. Then I bit his neck with my teeth. His warm blood entered my mouth. He tried to scream, but I put my hand before his mouth to prevent it.</p><p>It worked. I stopped drinking his blood, and feeding on him made him become my thrall. He looked at me with innocent eyes, and asked me:</p><p>– What is your bidding, Mistress?</p><p>– Write a deed that you give your castle to me, my love. – I commanded him.</p><p>He did as he was told. If only it was so easy back when I was alive! After a few minutes, he handed a paper over to me, in which it was explicitly stated that I bought the castle from him, and it is my property from that moment onward. It even had his seal, and everything, no one could question its validity.</p><p>– Now, I want you to go back to the Summerset Isle with the first ship tomorrow, and forget about me, that castle, and Morrowind. – I told him. He nodded and handed the key to his castle over too. I left the room with that, and the deed in my hands. According to the deed, the castle was situated on a small island to the northwest of Gnisis, off the coast. I used my vampiric power to levitate over the water, and I arrived there. I believed that it would be a good idea if I took a look at the castle, before I inform the members of my Clan that they can move over.</p><p>I looked around inside the castle, and it was huge, and luxurious. Even though it was built in the Imperial style, it did not matter to me, as it was impressive, despite its mundane architectural style. It was fully furnished, and its kitchen was full of food and drinks. It had several huge bedrooms, a library, a great hall. It was truly fit for a queen. And it was all mine. I couldn’t believe my luck! It was incredible that the gift of vampirism led me to possess such a huge castle. While I was relatively well-off as an Ordinator, I could have never collected enough money to buy this property with my salary, not even under several decades. I looked outside through one of the windows, and I saw that there was a shack standing at the coast, near Gnisis. My eyes may have deceived me, but as if someone from that shack tried to signal to me with the usage of a lantern. I dismissed it as irrelevant.</p><p>The castle had a cellar, which was full of wine. That Altmer trader was rich, indeed. The cellar led to another room, which seemed to be a dungeon, with cells. It was a perfect place to keep our cattle. It seemed that I could find the perfect home for my vampires. As I strolled through the dungeon, I heard a faint sound: “Release me.” – It said. I looked around, and I noticed that there were some prisoners in the dungeon. An Orc male, a Nord man, and an Imperial woman. I approached their cell. Why did this Altmer trader keep prisoners?</p><p>– What are you doing here? – I asked them.</p><p>– Please, muthsera, save us from this horrible place! – The Imperial woman begged me. – We were commissioned by a rich trader named Kardryar from the Summerset Isle, and we came here from Skingrad, but the entire engagement was canceled with no explanation. We were on a ship back to the continent, but the ship was wrecked during a storm. Pirates have robbed us of all possessions and locked us here to be killed by an evil mage. Please…!</p><p>– What? Evil mage? What are you talking about? – I asked.</p><p>– I don’t know anything. Just free us, please.</p><p>– All right. – I told them and unlocked their cell with the key. – You’re free. Go to Gnisis, and seek refuge in Fort Darius.</p><p>– May the gods bless your merciful heart! – They told me and left the cell. Something was wrong with this castle. Perhaps this was the reason that the Altmer wanted to get rid of it. I remembered the signal from the lantern on the coast, so I followed the prisoners outside. They took a small rowboat to arrive at Gnisis, while I used my levitation power to go over the water and approach that shack on the shore. As I approached, a male Dunmer came out from the shack. He addressed me:</p><p>– Greetings. My name is Bildam Felas. May I ask you why did you enter Yorick’s Tower?</p><p>– If by Yorick’s Tower, you refer to the castle, I have just bought it. – I lied and did not bother to introduce myself.</p><p>– You bought the Tower?! By Almsivi, I have to warn you: that place is haunted! Yorick lives again! – He exclaimed.</p><p>– Who is this Yorick you are referring to?</p><p>– Yorick was a powerful wizard. He was born in the west and came to Vvardenfell many years before the Armistice. We don’t know how he obtained all the permits, but in the end here he built his castle. Soon it became clear that he was practicing the darkest of magical arts – necromancy. Many brave souls have tried to put an end to his witchcraft, but he was simply too strong and killed them all.</p><p>– Go on… – I told him.</p><p>– A young hero came from the east. He was an able mage himself, and he managed to kill the monster, to cast his soul into Oblivion, and bind it there. I don’t know his name, nor how he managed to achieve this, for the records on this account are very scarce. The enchantment that kept Yorick on the other side had lasted for centuries until it broke several years ago. The castle’s owner of that time – my old master – was suddenly struck by madness and a devious flash-eating disease. He died in a horrible torment, and all the other servants ran away in fear. Soon afterwards we felt evil magic emanating from the Tower. It could mean only one thing… Yorick had returned. And then the pirates started helping the beast.</p><p>– Pirates?</p><p>– They would light a large fire on top of the Tower. On dark, stormy nights, ships would mistake that fire for a lighthouse and then would crash on the rocks. In the morning, the pirates would take the loot. The survivors would be captured and brought to the monster – new flesh to join his undead armies. Six months ago, a wealthy Altmer trader bought the Tower. The outlander wanted to turn it into an exotic festivities place. I tried to warn him about the danger, but he laughed at me and called me an old fool. Countless ships arrived with food, drinks, and expensive furniture. At least his strong guards were able to temporarily chase the pirates away. But he lost more than half of his possessions before he realized that a far more sinister evil was present. And then, he simply left everything and ran away.</p><p>– And then I acquired the castle from that Altmer.</p><p>– The most I was able to do so far was to save some people from the shipwrecks. – The old Dunmer told me. – If you feel able, I urge you to destroy this monster. If not, please stay away.</p><p>It seemed that I was tricked, or rather I would have been if I acquired the castle by actually buying it. However, Molag Bal’s vision was clear. He wanted us to live in this castle, so I had to deal with this necromancer. I levitated over the water again and entered the castle. I left no stone unturned, but the castle seemed to be perfectly normal to me, and I could not find any traces of the evil necromancer’s presence. After a few hours of searching, however, I have stumbled upon a hidden door behind the tapestry in one of the halls.</p><p>The corridor behind the hidden door was filled with sinister red candles, as if whoever put them there wanted to frighten people away. However, I was not frightened – as an Ordinator, I was trained to withstand the feeling of fear from such things. As a vampire, I was something to be feared by others too.</p><p>The corridor led to the secret laboratory of a necromancer. There, I had found ‘Yorick.’ He was undead, a skeleton wizard, wearing Daedric armor. I drew my mace to end his life – again. But nothing happened! The Mace of Molag Bal could not harm him. It could not even scratch him. Something – perhaps some kind of magic – protected him against my attacks.</p><p>I had no other choice, but to flee. I had found an exit from his laboratory, it seemed that there was an underground cave complex beneath the castle. As I fled, I killed his undead minions who were standing on my way.</p><p>I was wondering why Yorick’s minions were digging that tunnel, but then I understood it: The caves led into a forgotten Temple of Molag Bal. Yorick did not bother to follow me there, he probably thought that his minions would take care of me. I entered the Temple. I started to understand what was going on: Yorick must have gained his power from Molag Bal himself, that’s why I could not harm him with the Mace. But then why did Molag Bal want me to come here?</p><p>There was a huge statue of Molag Bal inside, which I approached and knelt before it, to see whether Molag Bal had anything to say to me. He only said one sentence to me: “I shall arrange you a fair duel. Enter the portal.” In the next moment, a Daedric portal opened next to the statue. I entered. From my memory of the holy books of the Tribunal Temple, I realized where did that portal take me: To Coldharbour, the Daedric realm of Molag Bal.</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice is teleported to Coldharbour, where she would have a chance to defeat Yorick. An uncanny world. Meeting with the Soul Shriven, and witnessing Molag Bal’s cruelty first-hand. Defeating Yorick’s soul in Coldharbour, and going back to Nirn to defeat his bodily form, with his connection to Molag Bal’s power lost. The new castle, and the relocation of the vampire clan there. Alice’s family reunites. A farewell to Fargoth. Alice assumes her position as Vampire Queen, and the vampires massacre the town of Gnisis.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The realm of Molag Bal was worthy of its name: As soon as I entered, I felt that it was unnaturally cold. I knew that I could not afford to stop, as I would freeze. I needed to be on the move constantly. Nevertheless, as I was walking, I looked around. What I had seen suited me: It was dark, night always reigned in Coldharbour, and it did not have a tyrannical sun to scorch me, and kill me. The landscape was filled with blackened ruins. They resembled the buildings that I have seen in Morrowind. As if Molag Bal’s realm was a twisted, dark copy of our world. The air was foul: It reeked of death. I had seen a couple of floating islands in the distance, which made this strange world even more uncanny.</p><p>Soon, I came across a small settlement or at least a couple of buildings. I had met a person or something like that there. He was pale and rotting, like a corpse, but alive.</p><p>– Hey, you. – I addressed him.</p><p>– I have nothing for you, stranger. – He replied. – Neither you can help me. I am eternally bound here by Molag Bal. Destined to die and live again. Over and over, in pain and torment.</p><p>Was this the fate of all who served Molag Bal, eventually? I didn’t have time to think about that, as the cold was tormenting and I needed to move on. I was brought to this realm by Molag Bal – at least if he hadn’t tricked me – because I would find something here to defeat Yorick. I entered one of the buildings to shield myself from the cold, and to find a clue about what to do next.</p><p>To my surprise, I had found an Argonian woman inside. Not a walking Argonian corpse, but a real Argonian woman, who seemed to be perfectly normal.</p><p>– What are you doing here, free one? – She asked me.</p><p>– Free one?</p><p>– Yes. We are all slaves of Molag Bal, who has brought us here to torment us.</p><p>I was terrified: I was brought to this realm too. Was this the real reason? Perhaps I served my purpose for Molag Bal on Nirn, so now he brought me here to join his slaves.</p><p>– Can I free you? – I asked the Argonian.</p><p>– I cannot be freed. Do not waste your time. Better get out of here while you can or he will enslave you as well.</p><p>– Do you know anything about a necromancer named Yorick?</p><p>– Yorick? Yorick is one of the lieutenants of Molag Bal. We all work for him in the Ashen mines, as slaves. He lives in the castle, Yorick’s Tower.</p><p>– Where is this Yorick’s Tower? – I asked.</p><p>– Do you want to be enslaved? Go through the mines, and you’ll arrive there.</p><p>I left the Argonian. If I understood it correctly, a copy of Yorick’s Tower existed in Coldharbour too, and somehow Yorick resided both there and in the Yorick’s Tower located on Nirn. I needed to go there to defeat him. I left the building and entered the mines, which were nearby. I went through it. It was an iron mine, and the slaves worked tirelessly while being tormented by all kinds of Daedra. I tried to address one, but he told me only that he would be punished if he was caught talking with me, instead of mining. Molag Bal, being a god, probably did not need iron at all, or if he did, then probably he could have just conjured some up out of nowhere. Clearly, the iron mine only existed to torment the mortals enslaved in Coldharbour. The journey through the mine was long, it took me a couple of hours, and I noticed that I got hungry in the process. Luckily, I still had some of the blood potions that Volrina gave to me before her death, and I could satisfy my hunger. I did not want to risk angering the Daedric overseers by feeding on the slaves, even though I believed that there were thousands enslaved in the mine complex, judging by what I had seen.</p><p>Eventually, I arrived at the other end of the mine, and I could exit it. A hellish version of Yorick’s Tower was before my eyes. People were hanged from the walls. The Yorick’s Tower on Nirn was a beautiful castle on an island in the sea, but the Yorick’s Tower in Coldharbour resembled the castle of a brutal warlord. I entered.</p><p>A couple of Daedra attacked me, as I was an intruder, but I could dispatch them. However, I noticed that the Mace of Molag Bal only seemed to work in this place as a regular mace, that is, it could kill the Daedra, but it could not transfer their strength over to me. It made sense: After all, if I killed someone on Nirn with it, I got their strength in exchange for their soul being sent here. The souls of those Daedra were already there. I anticipated that they would even return to hunt me down after a while, so I had to hurry.</p><p>In the Coldharbour version of the great hall of Yorick’s Tower, I encountered the same hidden door as on Nirn, the one which led me to the secret laboratory of Yorick inside the castle. However, it did not want to open. I noticed that there was a bookshelf nearby, which was not present on the Nirn version of the castle.</p><p>The bookshelf was full of the skulls of mer and men, however, it also had a moderate amount of books. I noticed that some of the books had huge letters on their covers, and they were arranged in a particular order on the bookshelf so that they would make two semi-intelligible words if one attempted to read them: M_LAG B_L. There were two books missing, between the letters “M” and “L and B” and “L.” The task was clear for me, I needed to find two books inside the castle, one which had an “O” on its cover and one which had an “A” on its cover, and then the secret door would unlock.</p><p>The library seemed to be a logical place to look for such books, however, I did not have luck. It had hundreds or even thousands of books, and it took me hours to look at all of them, but none was useful for my purpose. In the meantime, my hunger started tormenting me again. I had found a crystal ball, however. It was similar to those crystal balls that were used by some Khajit who claimed to be able to tell one’s future, and it was another item that was not present in the castle’s Nirn version. As I touched it, it teleported me away, into a small guest room inside the castle. There were a few Daedra inside. After I had killed them, I found a book on the table: Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie, with a huge “O” on the cover. The title was not in Dunmeris. It was similar to Tamrielic, but it was not Tamrielic, it was more ancient than that, perhaps it was the language spoken by the Nedes, or some other ancient group of men. I could more or less understand the title: “Opus” means “tale,” the suffix “ulus” is diminutive, that is, it indicates small size or youth. With that, “Opusculus” would mean “short story,” or something similar. Mezza” means “half” or “middle” and “mort” means “death.” And naturally, I could recognize the word “Bal,” which was present in almost every language, and meant “stone,” but probably since I had found that book in Coldharbour, it referred to Molag Bal. Therefore I concluded that the book must have been a short story connected to Molag Bal and being half-dead, perhaps vampirism, or being resurrected by a necromancer. I had no idea what “Lamae” was. I took the book and continued my search.</p><p>I descended into the dungeon, and in the end of it, I found a chamber, which was similar to a Temple dedicated to Almsivi in Vvardenfell. It was a twisted, grotesque Temple dedicated to Molag Bal, of course. I killed the Daedric minions inside, and I found another book, whose title I could not even comprehend, for it was written in a language unknown to me. However, it did have a huge “A” on the cover. I hurried back to the bookshelf in the great hall to solve this riddle with the usage of the books that I had found.</p><p>I put the books into their respective places, and the letters on the book covers on the bookshelf, when read together, said “Molag Bal” now. The secret door unlocked, however, placing the books also summoned a couple of skeletons and bonewalkers that I needed to kill. Molag Bal promised a fair duel to me. The hunger and the cold tormented me, – despite being inside – and I was eager to return to Nirn. I did not hesitate to face Yorick again. I descended into the secret chamber, and there I looked into the eyes… of a young, somewhat handsome Breton – or similar – man.</p><p>Was this Yorick’s soul? Did he look like this before he became a powerful undead skeleton wizard? I understood what I witnessed, or at least I tried to put the pieces together later: Yorick offered his soul to Molag Bal for power. Even if his body could be destroyed on Nirn, his soul would be safe in Coldharbour, and he could reborn – which clearly happened in Vvardenfell. I needed to destroy his soul in Coldharbour before I could return to Nirn to destroy his body once and for all.</p><p>– Semi tabellio prima. Retracto quemadmodum callum. – He told me. I did not understand a single word of that, but I was ready to fight him. – Did you come to end my torment? – He finally offered in Tamrielis.</p><p>I drew my mace, and after a few brief minutes, I could kill him, and he collapsed on the floor before me. Clearly, his soul was relatively unprotected and weak, unlike his body.</p><p>In the next moment, I got teleported away. Finally, I was back on Nirn! However, a lot of time had passed since I left our world, and entered Coldharbour. It was daytime, around noon too. And Molag Bal, in his cruelty, teleported me outside of Yorick’s Tower. The tyrannical sun immediately started to scorch my skin, and I felt that I would burn away in a couple of seconds. I immediately ran to Yorick’s Tower, and entered through the gate. I survived.</p><p>All I needed was finding Yorick again, and defeating him. I went back to his secret laboratory, through the secret passage. I noticed that the Mace of Molag Bal finally worked against him. It could only mean one thing: Molag Bal did not favor him anymore, he favored me.</p><p>We engaged in combat, and he was still a formidable opponent. In fact, I could barely get away with my life. However, in the end, I prevailed, and Yorick collapsed on the floor before me for the second time. He immediately caught fire, and his remains burned up. I hoped that this meant that Yorick’s Tower was mine, and Yorick was gone from our world – forever. Yorick had a useful enchanted amulet on him: It healed the wounds of the wearer and protected them against mortal weapons and spells. I put it on. It also looked beautiful, it had several precious gems. I believed that it looked fine on me.</p><p>I had waited until nightfall, and then I left the castle to talk with Bildam Felas, the Dunmer living in a shack near the shore.</p><p>– I killed Yorick. – I told him.</p><p>– You are a true hero! You have ridden our world of a terrible monster, and for that, your name shall be remembered forever! But… what is your name?</p><p>– Oh, I never introduced myself, did I? I am Muthsera Elisamsi, from House Indoril.</p><p>– Muthsera Elisamsi, as long as I live, I extend my gratitude to you.</p><p>– Thank you, Bildam. I shall honor our friendship as well. – I told him. Poor mer. He got rid of the monster haunting the castle, only to be replaced by another monster – perhaps an even more terrible one than the previous.</p><p>After satisfying my hunger with a miner in Gnisis, I went back to Druscashti. Our clan grew in numbers, quite a few vampires from the other two clans joined. Siri did an excellent job. I informed her that I could acquire a new home for us. We departed, in small groups, without calling too much attention to ourselves, in order to keep the weaklings that we wanted to sacrifice to the Ordinators oblivious. We took the clan’s most important items with us, such as our weapons, and books, but we left the furniture behind: after all, that foolish Altmer was kind enough to furnish the castle for us. We took our cattle too. Unfortunately, a few of them could escape in the process of relocating, but it did not matter. We had plenty of opportunities to capture new ones, being perhaps one of the most powerful factions of Vvardenfell under my leadership, and with all the new members who joined us from the other clans. I imagined the foolish mortals assaulting Druscashti, killing the vampires we had left behind, and thinking that they destroyed the Quarra Clan. But they were wrong: I destroyed it, along with the other two clans. And from the ashes of the Quarra, Berne, and Aundae Clans, the Rithari Clan was born.</p><p>The time came for me to relocate to my new home too. I went back to Maar Gan, and entered my hut. There, my mother waited for me.</p><p>– Elisamsi, my dear. – She told me. – Fargoth is sick.</p><p>– What?!</p><p>– I’m sorry. You were gone for several days, and I’ve got carried away. I drank too much of his blood. And that fool did not protest. He is weak now. I put him to bed. You know a thing or two about healing, don’t you? – She asked me.</p><p>We had spent the next couple of days in my hut, with my mother. I prepared potions to Fargoth and made sure that he would get better. I owed this much to him. When he was better, I announced it to him that I would move to the castle:</p><p>– Fargoth, the hut is yours. I had found a new home. We’ll leave tonight with my mother.</p><p>– Ha! When I started to get used to living with vampires… – Fargoth joked around. – Will you ever visit me?</p><p>– Maybe. Thank you for everything. You were a great friend to me. I promise that I’ll be watching over Maar Gan, and if one of the guards bullies you, he would have to deal with your supernatural friends.</p><p>– Thank you… my friend. – Fargoth told me. We embraced each other, and my mother said goodbye to him as well. We went back to Yorick’s Tower… or rather, my castle – with my mother.</p><p>As the queen of the castle, I had my separate wing inside, which alone was as huge as the manor of a noblemer, with several rooms. I shared that with my father, and my sister. I told my mother that she would live there with us. I have prepared a room for her, a room with two beds. When she found out who she has to share her room, she did not take the news too well. My father entered entered the room, and with tears in his eyes, he whispered:</p><p>– Toranu…</p><p>– Elisamsi! – My mother exclaimed. – I refuse to be in the same room with him! He betrayed me, and sold me to the Aundae!</p><p>– Toranu, please… let’s talk… – My father told her.</p><p>– The Aundae bitch probably entertains Molag Bal in Coldharbour now. – I told her. – Forget about her. We have all eternity together, and we will be a happy family. I’ll leave you two alone to talk.</p><p>I went back to my own room, to find a place for those few things from my old life that I brought over from my hut. The Altmer who owned this castle before me had put up several armor mannequins in the castle, no doubt, only for decoration. I used one of them to put my Indoril armor to it so that I could always remember my time as a mortal, and the enemies that I would have to face as a vampire.</p><p>To honor the lady who was my mother’s friend, and whom I thought to be my mother, I kept her mace and her Bonemold helmet: I always have them on my table displayed. It makes me remember my beginnings, and how weak I was when I took the first step on my journey. Following that, I took a walk around the castle, and exchanged a few words with most members of my clan, personally. First, I visited the cattle.</p><p>Siri gave them the quarters used by the servants. They were content because living in the castle was way more comfortable than living underground, in a Dwemer ruin. Siri threatened them with the dungeon if they misbehaved, so I anticipated that there would not be any problems with them. Next, I talked with Igna.</p><p>– How do you like our new home? – I asked her.</p><p>– Oh, it’s lovely, my Queen. I feel like a princess! Now, I have lovely clothes, Telvanni Bug Musk, and I live in a castle. I’m sure that mortals will admire me now, and won’t run away.</p><p>– Mortals will do everything for us soon. Nothing can stop us. And you are right, we are royalty among them. Princess.</p><p>I approached Siri next.</p><p>– So what will we do now? – She asked.</p><p>– Everything went according to the plan. We’ll talk about that tomorrow evening. Assemble the clan in the great hall by that time. However, before I can assume my position as The Vampire Queen full-time, there is one more business I have to take care of. Could you send someone to meet me at the Mages’ Guild of Ald-ruhn?</p><p>– Consider it done. – She replied.</p><p>My father made me a new set of armor, which reflected the glory of a queen. It was made out of leather and had the color of royalty: purple. Its leather straps reflected my new authority in the eyes of those who looked at me. I did not really like this set as much as my other set, but I appreciated my father’s gesture and decided that I would wear it at least during that business I had to take care of in Ald-ruhn.</p><p>I had gone to Ald-ruhn, where I met the vampire in the Mages’ Guild. I told him to wait for me, and prepare for having to move, or possibly even for combat. I went over to the Llethri manor, and I told one of the servants that I wanted to talk with Fathasa Llethri. She showed me to her room. I entered. Fathasa was furious about my presence:</p><p>– What are you doing here?! Get out! I don’t want you here! – She exclaimed.</p><p>Instead of replying anything, I immediately punched her in the face and bit her neck. Her blood was sweet, perhaps the sweetest that I had the luck to taste up to that point. I imagined how much fun I’m going to have with her, and how she would fulfill all my desires. How she would replace Uvoo. She didn’t give up, and tried to fight back: She kicked me, screamed, did everything to get away, but it did not help. I sucked her blood, and I knew that soon she would be my slave.</p><p>Her son, Sanvyn Llethri entered, with his dagger drawn, and with an alarmed expression on his face.</p><p>– Enough of this! I won’t let you harm my mother! – He exclaimed and attacked me. I bit his neck too, and I could easily overpower him. Soon both of them were under my charms, enslaved to me. I told Fathasa that the three of us would go to my castle. With Fathasa’s authority as the mistress of the manor and the Llethri family, we could easily go through the manor and Skar without the guards asking any questions. By the time their absence was noticed, we would be far away already. We had gone to the Mages’ Guild, where we met up with the vampire I requested from Siri so that I would have another pair of eyes on my new slaves, just in case. The four of us arrived at my castle. I escorted my slaves to the attic of the castle, which was an excellent place for what I had planned.</p><p>– Are you going to finally turn me into a vampire? – Sanvyn asked.</p><p>– Oh no, I’m not going to turn you into a vampire… – I replied and bit Fathasa’s neck. After drinking some of her blood, I injected the venom inside her. She immediately dropped dead on the ground, but after seeing it twice, I was reassured that after three days, she would wake up.</p><p>– No! What have you done with my mother? – Sanvyn asked, with tears in his eyes. He crouched next to Fathasa’s corpse and hysterically tried to wake her up, but it was useless.</p><p>I was about to leave the room, but before I went through the door, I stopped and turned back. I addressed Sanvyn:</p><p>– My experience is that young vampires, who just turned, tend to be really, really hungry. They cannot control themselves, and they don’t care about who or what is the source of their food.</p><p>With that, I went through the door and locked it behind myself. I was eager to see what would happen in three days. If that fool actually did the only sensible thing – killing her mother – I would gladly accept him into my clan. Otherwise, I did not care about him and looked forward to making the new, vampire Fathasa my plaything.</p><p>The next evening, my clan assembled at the great hall. Some of the most important members of my clan – like my family – had the privilege to sit at the huge table with us, while most of the vampires had to stand. I sat onto my throne, in the center of the hall, next to Siri. I started to speak:</p><p>“You have done well, my children. We have grown in numbers, and we will live in this castle, like royalty. The Ordinators should have already destroyed the weaklings at Druscashti, and now they think that they are safe. But don’t think that we would have to fear them for long. They will be a relic of the past soon, along with the Empire. The foolish mortals are already at each other’s throats for power and the resources of Red Mountain. We will sit the bloodshed out and ascend as their leaders. I will lead you to a new, golden age of vampires.”</p><p>I took my mace out, and showed them so that even the new members of the clan could understand:</p><p>“I am the chosen of Molag Bal. I am Elisamsi. I am the Queen of the Vampires.”</p><p>The vampires cheered for me. I waited for a few seconds before I gave them my instructions:</p><p>“Until the day comes for us to take over, we should just enjoy the luxuries of this castle. We have everything we need here. If we need that one thing which we cannot have enough of – blood – we can always get some more, and now no one can stop us. Don’t you believe me? The town of Gnisis lies beyond the waters, near the shore. I want you to go there today, my children. Enslave and massacre everybody!”</p><p>The vampires were overjoyed by the idea. Finally, instead of hiding in the shadows and taking the lives of the scum who would not be missed by society – beggars, prostitutes, criminals and the rest – now they had the permission to go out there that night and to make it clear for the mortals that a new era has begun: an era of vampires. I knew that the plan could work: As I observed, Gnisis was rather just a Legion outpost. Even though it was important because of being a pilgrimage site, the struggling, leaderless House Redoran couldn’t possibly mobilize its troops and march there early enough to prevent the massacre.</p><p>The vampires left. I went to my bedroom and stepped out to the balcony. I saw the lights of a burning town, and faintly heard the screams that were coming from Gnisis. It was beautiful. After all I’ve been through: After I was an oblivious “chit” (as Uvoo would have said) chased by wild alit, after I was tortured in the Ministry of Truth, after I was used as a pawn by the Ordinators and the Tribunal Temple, after I was tricked by Galur Rithari, and after I had to endure the tyranny of so many masters: Temple priests, Ordinators, Volrina Quarra, finally it was over: I was the one who dictated the terms, and I had everything: A family, wealth, beauty, power, immortality and the freedom to do whatever I wanted, without anyone daring to oppose me. I couldn’t dream of anything more.</p><p>The world is mine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Alice says goodbye to the reader, and talks about Morrowind in the Fourth Era, which she could witness due to her immortality. An insight into the fate of the characters we had met in the story. Some extra scenes. A possible sequel? The author’s afterword about the creation of the story, and thanking people who contributed towards it in some manner.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That wasn’t the end of my story, but it was the end of the story of how I became The Vampire Queen, starting out as a nobody. The idea that I should write this story came several years after I took my throne, out of the boredom that every immortal being faces sooner or later. I don’t know if my writing would be read by anyone, and if yes then whether they would find any value in it. What I know is that it was useful for me to cope with my boredom and perhaps also to process the tragedies and traumas that happened in my life. And perhaps I also found enjoyment in telling my story to somebody potentially reading this… after all, – as I suppose my story made it clear too, – I have a fault, I’m quite vain and self-centered.</p><p>I have never seen the Nerevarine after that. We’ve heard some rumors that they left the continent of Tamriel and went to Akavir for some reason, but I refuse to believe that. I remember reading a history book about one of the Emperors – I think it was Uriel V or some other Uriel – who went to Akavir, and his expedition ended in a disaster. If the rumors are true about Akavir, then Nerevarine is dead. However, we cannot know whether they are true. Perhaps they died in Tamriel. Or perhaps they are still alive, and live in the mysterious Summerset Isle, – or Alinor, as they prefer to call it nowadays – which isolated itself from the rest of Tamriel. Maybe they had something to do with what happened there – how an extremist Altmer faction took over and expelled the Empire. I don’t have any proof of that, it’s just that it seems to be the perfect place for one who wants to disappear. Also, the Nerevarine liked to meddle with affairs of politics and religion, and they were quite capable of that, after all, they were responsible for the death of Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal.</p><p>After the disappearance of the Nerevarine, Morrowind became hell for mortals. As it could have been anticipated, a civil war broke out between the Great Houses. The pretext for the war was the issue of slavery: House Hlaalu and House Dres argued that it was immoral, while House Redoran and House Indoril argued that it was tradition, which must be preserved. House Dres’s change of heart came as a surprise, but someone who read enough history found it logical: First of all, House Hlaalu became the most prosperous Great House under the wings of the Empire, at the expense of the other Great Houses. The most sensible decision for a mortal who wanted to be prosperous was joining them. Secondly, when I was a young girl in Maar Gan, slavery was already a dying institution. Even though the Dunmer won the Arnesian War, it had a huge price: We have lost the lives of so many great mer in the battles, and the Argonian rebels destroyed the homes and property of even more. The way Saint Roris was tortured by them might have led many people – especially those who did not profit from slavery, due to being ordinary retainers only instead of plantation owners – to question whether maintaining the institution was worth it. They pushed for reform inside the House, with the help of the mysterious Imperial organization named Twin Lamps, and our young King Helseth who was eager to integrate our country into the Empire. In addition, the Arnesian War inspired several other, smaller slave revolts, which also had the cost of the destruction of Dunmer life and property. The Hlaalu-Dres alliance won in the end, but they got weakened. We sat out the conflict, and while it was harder to acquire cattle with the abolition of slavery, we got compensated by refugees who either heard that the castle formerly known as Yorick’s Tower is owned by an Indoril noblewoman and approached our gates, fleeing from the war, or they heard the rumors that it is cursed, and monsters live inside, but thought that they would take a chance nevertheless. In addition, in the war, many soldiers were “missing in action” and no one searched for them. At least some of them – especially small patrols and individual scouts – were taken by us. The hell for mortals was a paradise for vampires.</p><p>The civil war between the Great Houses was soon followed by civil war inside the Temple. Gilvas Barelo had himself elected as Archcanon, in the absence of traditionalist Temple Masters, such as Uvoo. His first act as Archcanon was a huge favor to us, vampires: He disbanded the Ordinators. A small minority of them did not take the news well, and they made one last attempt to regain control and restore their dead gods instead of the Good Daedra and the ancestors. In the end, they were defeated, and Barelo was free to reform the Temple. Disbanding the Ordinators was a mistake after all, though: The Oblivion crisis took its toll on Morrowind too. The city of Ald-ruhn got destroyed. The Dunmer could have fought back more effectively with the help of the Ordinators. But we could sit that catastrophe out as well, in our castle on the small island. Some Ordinators heard about that Indoril noblewoman living in Yorick’s Tower, and they came there, begging to me to take them into my service, otherwise, they would commit suicide. We gladly accepted the fact that food came to our doorstep. Among all the refugees, Ordinators, thieves and adventurers who entered my castle with different purposes, and ended up as food, I remember one person distinctively: Ano Vando, the vampire hunter, who was with me at Galom Daeus, and who somehow found out the truth about the inhabitants of our castle. My children took pleasure in torturing one of our greatest rivals among mortals.</p><p>Years after that, Baar Dau, the Ministry of Truth, has fallen from the sky. Vivec told us that it would remain in the sky as long as the Dunmer people worshiped Almsivi, so by a twisted chance of fate, he was right. But I’m certain that even if some people remained faithful to Almsivi, and if those people survived, they should have also lost their faith by witnessing the fall, and with that, Gilvas Barelo and Mehra Milo’s triumph was complete. The impact triggered the eruption of Red Mountain, which destroyed the entire island: I know that Maar Gan was destroyed, and I assume that all my friends there – Mabrelle Geles, Fargoth, Manse Andus – died that day. Also, Miles Gloriosus, who decided that he would settle down in our town, after all. I’ve heard a rumor, and I’m not sure whether it is true: Some Daedra remained on Nirn after the gates of Oblivion closed, and they tormented the mortals for many years to come. I’ve heard about one particular Daedra who was feared everywhere in the Empire: His name was allegedly Anhaedra. I don’t know what happened with some of the mortals I had talked about in my story: Tiras Venim, Garisa Llethri, Master Aryon, the Ashlander tribe near Molag Mar… they probably either died in the eruption or survived and fled to start a new life in the mainland.</p><p>I’m certain that everyone who would read this knows what happened after that: The Empire got weakened, the Aldmeri Dominion was reformed, the Umbriel Crisis and then the Great War, all of which was too much for the new Mede dynasty to handle, who were nowhere near as competent as the bloodline of Tiber Septim, the Dragonborn. With the Empire needing its Legions elsewhere, and Morrowind becoming a useless wasteland after the eruption – in a twisted, dark way – the last part of the Nerevarine prophecies were fulfilled: The Empire left, in the only moment during their reign when the Dunmer people actually needed them. The Argonians broke away from the Empire too and used the opportunity to invade Morrowind and loot and murder their way through it. Indeed, all I can say is that after my story took place, a dark age came for mortals. But it was a golden age for us, vampires. Sometimes I wonder about one thing: I encountered remnants of the Sixth House after the death of Dagoth Ur. Maybe under the rubble and the ash that came into existence by the eruption, in underground tunnels, ruins, and strongholds, some of them are still alive, suffering from the pain caused by the absence of their master and waiting for the redemption of death?</p><p>Some time before the Oblivion Crisis, Molag Bal disappeared from my life, and he took his Mace with him, to give it to somebody else, probably. I assume that I outlived my usefulness for him, and he does not care about me anymore. However, to torment me, he sent me one more vision during the time when the Argonians sacked Mournhold: I saw Uvoo dying, a spear of an Argonian piercing through her chest. If in that day, down in Old Mournhold, I had decided not to investigate the Daedric shrine and instead of turning into a vampire, I would have remained a disfigured mortal living with Uvoo, that would have been my fate too. I wish I would have gone to Mournhold while I had the chance and turned her into a vampire by force so that she could survive the invasion, safe in my castle. Failing to do that is the greatest regret of my life so far.</p><p>And finally, I should probably talk about the members of my clan, and the people associated with us. Most of them are well. Bildam Felas, the servant of the old master of the castle, lived a peaceful life in his shack and died of old age. I explicitly forbade my children to harm him, because I thought that he deserved that much, after experiencing the awakening of Yorick. He believed that I was a wealthy Indoril noblewoman living in the neighborhood and that the vampires were my retainers. Sometimes he sent a slaughterfish he caught in the sea, “to the mistress of the castle, with compliments.” Foolish old mer, but admirable. To think that he never knew anything about the real nature of the mistress of the castle.</p><p>Igna committed suicide. She could never comprehend vampirism, and she could never process the thought that she cannot live like a mortal lady admired by everyone anymore. She stepped outside one of the balconies of the castle and got scorched by the sun in a matter of seconds.</p><p>My mother could never forgive my father, and the happy family reunion I hoped for never took place. They both agreed to stay in the castle for my sake and mostly ignored each other. My mother didn’t want to have anything with my sister either. We are a family, and we are not perfect, like most families. But immortality is a long time, and I hope that one day, she could forgive him, and something else would connect these individuals than my person.</p><p>To my surprise, Fathasa could withstand the temptation of feeding on her son when she turned. Instead of that, she turned him into a vampire too, when she learned how to do it. I allowed them to stay in my clan, and I know that in spite of what they say, they hate me for what I had planned, the way I hated Volrina when she forced me to massacre the people at the Maar Gan shrine. I should keep an eye on them, and I should also do the same with Siri. She appears to be loyal to me, but she stabbed Volrina in the back with my help, and I have no reason not to think that she would do the same with me. After all, why would she share the throne with me when she could sit on it alone? And why would I do that?</p><p>A few days ago, a vampire appeared at my court. He told me that he brought a message from Lord Harkon, the leader of the Volkihar vampire clan in Skyrim: the message said that I should visit them because Harkon is quite interested in meeting this Vampire Queen at the East whom he heard so many rumors about from other vampires. Siri, who is a Nord from Skyrim, told me that the Volkihar vampires are capable of freezing the blood in the veins of their victims and that they live beneath the ice of the remote and haunted lakes of Skyrim. That is something that I would also be interested to see. Maybe I should visit the Volkihar. Or maybe I should learn some magic finally. A former member of the Aundae clan, who now serves me, taught me a basic fire damage spell. It’s a start, along with my magical vampiric powers. Or maybe I should finally find a suitable mate for myself and realize my fantasy of bringing beautiful vampire children into this world, who would terrorize the mortals in their mother’s name. I don’t know yet. But I have all the time at my hands to decide.</p><p>There is one thing that makes me nervous: Despite not needing it as a vampire, sometimes I sleep, due to the lack of better things to do. I know that I would experience nightmares, and I’m prepared for that, but I noticed that recently I relive the same nightmare over and over again: The day I officially ascend to my throne as Vampire Queen, and my clan goes to Gnisis to massacre and enslave everybody, a person arrives at my court: It is the Nerevarine. They accuse me of being evil and then turn into something horrible: A werewolf, a hound of Hircine. My strength leaves me, and I’m as weak against the god-killer as I was when I was a mere pilgrim in Maar Gan. They tear me to pieces and pierce through my heart with their claws. Sometimes the dream continues and I see my soul ending up in Coldharbour and there I’m raped in every moment until the end of the days, first by Molag Bal, and then by hundreds of smaller Daedra, and then by Molag Bal again, and so on. And then I wake up and get reassured that it was only a dream, and in fact, I am The Vampire Queen, and I strike fear into the hearts of everyone and that I’m mighty and powerful.</p><p>Sometimes I think about the question: If that happened, would I have deserved that fate? Am I really evil? I don’t know. I don’t think so.</p><p>I’m just like a wolf who kills sheep: vampires are part of nature’s justice too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Whew! It’s done, and I have to admit that I’m proud of myself. Not necessarily because I claim that this work is expectionally good quality, – that’s up to the reader to decide – but because besides modding, I have been writing poems and short stories ever since I’m a teenager, and I never actually had the willpower to finish a novel, or something as long as that. (I don’t have the exact numbers, but I estimate that all the chapters combined exceed the length of what would be considered a “standard” novel today.) I would love to say a few words about how this fan fiction came to be, and say thanks to a few people who contributed towards it in some manner.</p><p>I was always fascinated by vampires, but the idea that I should write a Morrowind fan fiction about a vampire came from Danae. Last year, she published a few roleplay guides for Morrowind. There were two in particular which I really enjoyed: The crusader and the nightblade. I thought that I would combine the two, and I made a character who was an Ordinator (crusader of Almsivi) but did not know that she was actually a half-vampire. At one point of the playthrough, she realizes it, and then slowly descends into evil, and becomes the thing she swore to destroy. I believed that this character was so good that I had to share it with others, so I started writing these chapters, expanding upon the original idea.</p><p>It would take a lot of time to enumerate all the cultural products that I was inspired by (although some of them should be obvious, like Alice in Wonderland – hence the title) and I think that readers who desire so, would have fun identifying all the refences, however, once again I would like to thank all the modders who made mods whose content was presented in this fan fiction in some (original, or modified) form. Credits have been given to the individual modders already at the bottom of the chapter in which their mod was introduced first in the place this fan fiction was first published - my own website.</p><p>I had several people who proofread some parts of this fan fiction, and gave me advice on how to improve it. Among them were Caeris, Lucevar and some friends I know IRL. However, the one who proofread the most, and deserves special thanks is RedFurryDemon, who had the patience to continue reading it, in spite of making it clear that she did not like the beginning.</p><p>And finally, thanks to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, which forced me to spend most of my free time at home, and I could accelerate the production of the chapters, and it could be done today (29th of May, 2020) instead of sometime around midsummer, or even later than that, probably.</p>
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